THE Government is in the process of collecting all harvested Mukula lying across the country for export purposes.
Green Economy and Environment Minister Collins Nzovu said a mechanism and a special purpose vehicle had been put in place to collect the illegally harvested Mukula and buy it from the owners.
Mr Nzovi said in an interview that he was aware that a lot of time had passed in resolving challenges surrounding the harvest of Mukula, but assured that a lot of work was taking place behind the scenes.
Mr Nzovu added that ministry officials were on the ground conducting an audit of all Mukula logs to determine the available stock.
He said the Government wanted to do the right thing in handling Mukula exports, which in the past administration was a source of corrupt dealings and illegal exports.
“I am glad to tell you that soon and very soon because for us to collect all the illegally harvest of Mukula also the legal harvest. There has to be a mechanism and a special purpose vehicle to utilise because it is across the length and breadth of the country and I it is sin à remote areas. It tis not a simple logistical issue, it is complex and it needs funding so we are trying to put all these things in to ensure that once place to ensure we open it up which is very soon then we can collect the Mukula and buy some of it from the owners and offer them a decent price and then export it,” he said.
He said it was prudent that the Government conducted an audit after managing to curb the illegal trade of Mukula.
“I am sure right now you have not heard of Mukula being smuggled and being exported, this is because your Government ensured it stopped corruption in the trade of the log,” he said.
