TZW
We are currently collecting important information over the illegal business of charcoal from forests in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions,” said the minister while opening the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) workers’ council meeting.
He explained that the culprits in the illegal business were using motorcycles to transport consignments of charcoal at night to the shores of the Indian Ocean before loading them to boats to Pemba and Unguja for smuggling to neighbouring countries. “We expect the workers’ council to come up with recommendations to the government on how to prevent the illegal business,” observed the minister.
Dr Kigwangalla said the illegal business has adversely affected the forests in the country’s coastline, directing TFS to promote the forests to the national reserves to save them from the illegal business. TFS Chief Executive Officer Prof Dos Santos Silayo said the main goal of the workers’ council was to bring together workers and administration to deliberate on ways to improve operations of TFS.
He said the workers’ council meeting will seek solutions to a number of challenges facing the forest sector in the country, pointing out the over 60 per cent of the country’s forests not being in reserve is among the serious challenges the sector faces. “
Some people have a tendency of encroaching the forests which are not in reserve for human activities,” said Prof Silayo, noting that the workers’ council was expected to propose the new areas for promotion of national reserve to enhance protection of the natural resource.