Invest in tree planting, govt challenges sawmillers
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Wed 16 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
GOVERNMENT has challenged sawmillers and timber merchants to urgently invest in tree planting to ensure sustainability of the forest industry because ZAFFICO will not meet their demand in the years to come.
Officiating at a meeting with timber producers, merchants and sawmillers on Monday aimed at finding best practices to manage the forests, Tourism, environment and natural resources minister Catherine Namugala said there was need to address challenges that inhibited the creation of linkages in the forestry business.
“We want you to develop value addition strategies because we can't continue exporting raw or semi-processed timber and yet we import products made out of our timber,” Namugala said.
She said it was important to remember that forests were a strategic natural resource and contributed a lot to Zambia.
Environment and natural resources permanent Lillian Kapulu advised the private sector to ensure optimum utilisation of trees through value addition and less operational wastage.
“We want to see those huge piles of sawdust being turned into finished products like briquettes to be used as alternative energy to charcoal,” said Kapulu.
“And why is Zesco importing transmission poles? Does it mean timber producers and merchants are failing to meet demand? Government wants you to export finished products, thereby avoiding creation of jobs in other countries.”
At the same meeting, Minister of Lands Gladys Lundwe assured that government was ready to expedite the provision of land to prospective investors in the forestry sector since planting of trees was important in national economic development.
ZAFFICO managing director Frightone Sichone said having one supplier in timber business was not sustainable.
“The private sector should come on board and supplement ZAFFICO. It is true that trees take years to mature so people fear they won't get immediate benefits but these are the same people building mansions and yet they are in their 60s,” said Sichone.
Earlier, Association for Saw Millers president Peter Kabamba accused ZAFFICO of squeezing entrepreneurs by reducing their annual wood allocation.
“Reduction of annual wood allocation is affecting saw millers' businesses since we fail to meet demands of our customers,” he said.
Labels: CATHERINE NAMUGALA, FRIGHTONE SICHONE, MILLERS, TIMBER
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Suspended Commissioner of Lands acquitted
Written by Maluba Jere
Thursday, April 30, 2009 6:17:39 PM
SUSPENDED Commissioner of Lands Frightone Sichone was on Thursday acquitted by the Lusaka Magistrates Court on all four counts of abuse of authority of office charges. Lusaka magistrate Aridah Chulu acquitted Sichone after the prosecution failed to adduce enough evidence to show that Sichone did abuse his authority of office.
In the matter, Sichone was charged with abuse of authority of office contrary to section 37 (2) (a) and 41 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act number 42 of 1996.
Particulars of the offence were that Sichone on January 20, 2006 at Lusaka, being a person employed in the public service namely, Ministry of Lands as commissioner of lands, did abuse his authority of office by allocating property number LUS/35178 Mass Media on title number 75822 to Musenge Mwewa without following procedure thereby directly or indirectly obtaining property or advantage.
On the second count, Sichone on the same day allegedly allocated property number LUS/35185, Mass Media on title number 45036 to Mesinala Namukoko without following procedure.
On the third count, he allegedly allocated property number LUS/35210, Mass Media on title number 49502 dated April 6, 2006 to Mizumbi Farms Limited, a company in which he is co-director and majority shareholder without following procedure.
Sichone on the last count allegedly allocated property number LUS/35211, Mass Media on title number 50036 dated April 21, 2006 to Mizumbi Farms Limited in which he is co-director and majority shareholder without following procedure thereby directly or indirectly obtaining property or advantage.
Sichone denied all the charges and magistrate Chulu then put him on his defence after she found him with a case to answer.
Nineteen prosecution witnesses testified in the matter while the defence called five witnesses.
Magistrate Chulu said she had considered the 19 prosecution witnesses and the detailed submissions from both the prosecution and the defence.
She observed that the prosecution had adduced enough evidence to warrant putting Sichone on his defence.
Magistrate Chulu warned herself that the onus was on the prosecution to prove the case against the accused on each and every ingredient in the charge.
In passing judgment, Magistrate Chulu noted that it was not disputed that land alienation had been delegated to the commissioner of lands by the Republican President.
She also said it was not in dispute that the land in question was institutional land belonging to ZAF.
Count three and four were jointly dealt with as the issues were similar.
Magistrate Chulu also said the prosecution had failed to prove that the accused did abuse his authority as alleged in count two and acquitted him.
She further acquitted him on count one saying the allocation of land at Mass media was approved by ZAF and the ministry’s role was that of generating offer letters.
Magistrate Chulu said it would be naïve and unreasonable for the court to convict Sichone on the charges after the prosecution had failed to ably prove that the accused did abuse his authority of office, and acquitted Sichone on all the four counts.
Labels: FRIGHTONE SICHONE, MINISTRY OF LANDS
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Sichone pleads not guilty
By Laura Mushaukwa
Saturday June 02, 2007 [04:00]
SUSPENDED lands commissioner Frightone Sichone yesterday pleaded not guilty to four counts of abuse of authority of office before magistrate Aridah Chulu. This is a matter where Sichone is charged with abuse of authority of office contrary to section 37 (2) (a) and 41 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act number 42 of 1996.
Particulars of the offence were that Sichone on January 20, 2006 at Lusaka being a person employed in the public service namely Ministry of Lands as commissioner of lands did abuse his authority of office by allocating property number LUS/35178 Mass Media on title number 75822 to Musenge Mwewa without following procedure thereby directly or indirectly obtaining property or advantage.
On the second count, Sichone on the same day allegedly allocated property number LUS/35185 Mass Media on title number 45036 to Mesinala Namukoko without following procedure.
On the third count, he allegedly allocated property number LUS/35210 Mass Media on title number 49502 dated April 6, 2006 to Mizumbi Farms Limited a company in which he is co-director and majority shareholder without following procedure.
Sichone on the last count allegedly allocated property number LUS/35211 Mass media on title number 50036 dated April 21, 2006 to Mizumbi Farms Limited in which he is co-director and majority shareholder without following procedure thereby directly or indirectly obtaining property or advantage. The matter comes up on June 25,27 and 29 for trial.
Labels: COURTS, FRIGHTONE SICHONE, MINISTRY OF LANDS
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ACC nabs Sichone
By Times Reporter
THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested suspended commissioner of Lands, Frightone Sichone, for alleged abuse of authority of office. And the Task Force on Corruption has recorded a warn and caution statement from former economic advisor to second Republican President, Frederick Chiluba, Donald Chanda. The joint investigation team on the ministry of Lands inquiry arrested Mr Sichone yesterday in Lusaka for abuse of office of authority and charged him with four counts contrary to Section 37 (2) of the ACC Act number 42 of 1996.
Details of the first count are that on April 6, 2006 in Lusaka, Mr Sichone allegedly abused the authority of his office by allocating property number LUS/35210 Mass Media, on title number 49502, to Mizumbi Farms Limited, a company in which he was the co-director and majority shareholder without following procedure, thereby obtaining advantage.
On the second count, Mr Sichone allegedly abused the authority of his office on April 21, 2006 in Lusaka by allocating property number LUS/35211 Mass Media, on title number 50036, to the same company.
Particulars of the third count are that on January 20, 2006 at Lusaka, Mr Sichone allegedly abused the authority of his office by allocating himself property number LUS/35178 Mass Media on title number 75822 without following procedure.
On the fourth count, Mr Sichone on January 20,2006 allegedly abused the authority of his office by allocating himself property number 35185 Mass Media on title number 45036 without following procedure. Mr Sichone was released on police bond and will appear in court today.
Meanwhile, investigations into other cases involving Mr Sichone and officials at the ministry of Lands have reached an advanced stage and more arrests may be effected soon. The commission has so far restricted 114 properties and the process of ascertaining their value and how they were acquired was still continuing.
The commission will like to urge the public with any information in the malpractices at the ministry of Lands to report to ACC as such will assist the team conclude investigations promptly.
In the matter involving Mr Chanda, Task Force acting public relations officer, Victor Makai, said the former economic aide to Dr Chiluba was warned and cautioned on five counts of abuse of authority of office concerning the Carlington maize deal.
He was alleged to have arbitrarily authorised the diversion of $1 million to a lobby contract between January 1 and December 1, 1998. Mr Makai said Mr Chanda was also warned and cautioned for allegedly receiving $9,999 cash and £580 from Carlington as an inducement or reward.
He was further alleged to have abused authority of his office by entering into a consultancy contract with Carlington, a matter that was prejudicial to the interest of the Government of the republic of Zambia.
Following the warn and caution statement recorded, Mr Makai said the matter had now been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further instructions.
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, FRIGHTONE SICHONE, MINISTRY OF LANDS
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