Malawi loses US$ 7 million in fraudulent export of wood
The Malawi has lost 6.9 million dollars in fraudulent sales of 14 269 cubic meters of timber in South Africa during the 2008-2009 season, according to a study by the International Institute for Environment and Development ( IIED).
“These losses have a direct impact on revenues that the government is entitled to expect exports of wood,” says IIED.
The study explains that foreigners have exploited the Malawian poor by using them as decoys to obtain licenses at low prices.
“We found that huge quantities of wood, about 78% exported from the plantation Chikangawa, whose size is estimated at 114 477 hectares, about the East Africa are not registered with water services and forestry,” said IIED.
Tagged with: Chikangawa, timber
Madeya cabinet ya Bingu at its best
That’s why government is not going to renew any licences to such kind of people. I like this government b/c it is very responsible. koma nyasatimes kumati a Bingu wants to victimize northerners. Kodi mumaganiza kuti aku North ndinu nokha? ifenso kwanthu ndi kumpoto. Koma enanu timadabwa nanu kwabasi. mbiri ya anthu a kumpotofe yayipa chifukwa cha anthu enanu.
Apa guys a Nyasatimes mwalemba nkhani osamangoti Ehh!! Government has withdrawn licences to victimise Harry and his relatives ehh! Govt wants to grant single licence to Mulli ehh! blah! blah! blah!
Lets preserve our resources and enjoy the fruits.
Out of the 7million usd how much was spent in malawi? I bet its less than a million usd. Coz 1m USD = 1.5 billion MK.
Ho many malawians benifited from that? Its better they give the licence to Mulli or any Black malawian not amwenye.
Black Malawian will spend all his money in malawi unlike mwenye agula nyumba in uk and fund investments in india.
Apaneni amenewa, munya muona
In fact, before chastizing the ‘AMWENYES’ as you call them, they do not trade wood. In fact the majority of the timber exporters are ZIMBABWEAN like your Presidents daughters husband! MULLI WHAT? A thief by means of political association? My friend, check your facts before you speak. Do you really think you would be where you are today without foreigners? Last time i checked, the Intel computer you were using to type ur same message was not developed in Kawale or Mchesi. IT was assembled outside MAlawi and introduced to you.
OH and by the way, if you used a FOREIGN CALCULATOR it would show you that 1 million USD is actually MK150 MILLION.
Need i say more about your way of thinking??
Please protect our Chikangawa
Hilto, Daniel, Phaskani ndi Fumu muti bwanji pa nkhaniyi?
These are unpatriotic people who should be sent to jail.They have contributed to the scarcity of forex in Malawi. Another group of Malawian are being used my Nigeria and Tanzanias to load Visa cards every day and take the money to either Tanzania or South Africa where the cash the cards and deposit in their banks.Surprisingly these people get a lot of favour from bankers-NBS,MSB,NBM and Standard Bank. They arrange with Bankers in forex department to load as many cards as much as possible and these people have accounts in almost all the banks. It is easy to catch them because when ever a bank receives forex,they will be seen around such banks and their account will immediately reflect a huge balance and the money would either be deposited from Karonga or Mzuzu. One guy from Mwanza called Wells Mbalati is able to load as many as 5 cards per day and sends them to Tanzania
I know IIED a London based research institution as a highly professional body and would only believe this article if adequate information is put up hear not a disjointed piece as it is because it does not say anything tangible other than tanishing the good name of Malawi.
I, about four years back, reported to a Senior MRA Official at Kheza Offices about the illegal activities of Pakistanis exporting timber. They were cooking the (export) documents – undervaluing the value of the exports. Nothing came out of my tip off. Amangondiuza kuti, “Ayi mubwerenso.” “Ayi abwana apita kwakutikwakuti.”
I then thought, “Malawi is for sale. Vultures have descended on us, God help us”
For something to be sold, a price has to be set. Who gives the price? The unpatriotic MALAWIANS who decide to look after themselves. Don’t blame the INVESTOR, that is business and business only. Why hate them for doing something that you yourself could not have the capacity to do yourself??? Blowing out someone elses candle doesn’t make yours brighter.
Izi ndi Mbava zeni zeni! Severe penalties should be imposed if caught. Its not only to do with the forex but also depleting our forest cover which creates havoc with our climate patterns. Why cant the government put controls like when someone is given a licence, they have to be subject to audit cotrols to show what has happened to the timber ie sold locally or exported. It Banda’s days the forex used to conrolled – if you exported anything then money had to be in by a particular date. Anothern thing – are taxes paid by these people cutting our forest? Please find them, name them and shame them!