The contractual irregularities existing in the exploitation of eucalyptus wood in the forest perimeters of the former Pulp and Paper Industrial Complex of Angola, in Alto Catumbela, municipality of Ganda (Benguela), have their days numbered, the Secretary of State for Resources announced today Florestais, André de Jesus Moda.
According to the person in charge, who worked this Thursday, in the village of Alto Catumbela, he found some non-compliance with contractual obligations by eucalyptus wood exploitation companies, especially in the process of forest repopulation in the region.
André Moda also mentioned having observed tax evasion by companies located there, the devastation of forest perimeters without replanting the species, which portends a phase of changes and legal accountability for them, whose taxes must be paid at the site of exploration and production. .
He defended rigor in the management of natural and human resources so that there is the capacity to transform wood into finished products.
“A serious and safe forestry company has space to plant plantations”, he stressed, therefore appealing to the awareness of operators in obtaining their own spaces, having presented a forest repopulation program where these companies could be inserted.
He guaranteed the creation of a company called “MADAM” that will, in the near future, take care of a large part of the forest repopulation in the pulp perimeters, so that there are positive changes in the process of exploiting eucalyptus wood in Alto Catumbela.
He recognized, however, that the emergence of eucalyptus wood exploration companies would be an added value to increase the income of operators, inspectors and create job opportunities in the region.
The secretary demanded from operators the modernization of equipment, as the machinery found in operation in the companies left the government official unsatisfied, due to its obsolete state, with no safety guarantees.
André Moda said that these companies will soon be subjected to analytical diagnosis and inspection in conjunction with other ministerial departments, especially industry, to study the technical and economic viability of the instruments put into operation and then make a final decision.
On the other hand, Angop found that the eucalyptus wood exploration space in the Alto Catumbela area triggered a conflict between the companies that currently operate there and the company Estrela da Floresta, owned by the Sovereign Fund of Angola, at the time under the leadership of José Filomeno dos Santos.
In fact, the Secretary of State said that measures are being taken to normalize the management of forest polygons in this region.
“In the coming days there will be a new form of management, which will establish new rules and work with people who wish to comply with what is stipulated,” he said.
Data obtained from the company “Nivan– Nzamba”, one of the two companies existing in the locality, and visited by secretary André Moda, indicate that only 43 hectares of the 70 hectares explored in the forest perimeter were replanted.
Nivan–Nzimba, in addition to transforming wood into plywood, boards, beams and other pieces for furniture manufacturing, also coupled the quality lighting charcoal industry, through wood waste.
The Secretary of State today visited, in Benguela, the space where a 15-hectare wooden warehouse will be built, located in the Taca neighborhood, on the outskirts of the city of Benguela.
The visit of André Moda was accompanied by managers and technicians from the local Forestry Development Institute.
NA/ANGOP