Forestry generates K5bn for State over 5 years

National Forest Authority  acting managing director Tunou  Sabuin says the forest industry  generated  K5.3 billion  for the national economy over the last five years .
“And K1.3 billion total export earning was generated last year alone,” he said yesterday.
Sabuin said in 2015, K283 million in export tax went directly to the consolidated revenue for the country.
“In the last five years, K1.183 billion was generated in export tax,” he said.
Sabuin said the log export development levy was an interesting issue as last year, the authority collected K9 million.
“In the last five years, K133 million in log export development levy was collected and the trustees allocated over K100 million to the districts,” he said.
“So far, we have received only five acquittals.”
Sabuin said they were embarking on auditing how best they had used funds from the log export development levy money.
They are now looking at putting in stringent measures to effectively monitor and control the spending of the levies.
“Soon we will sign up agreement with the district development authorities so that these money, when we pay to the districts, we can be rest assured that they will be put to good use and not in to pockets,” he said.
“That’s something that we can improve on so that we can improve the lives of our people.”