4)–Mukula illegal cutting worries govt

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Mukula illegal cutting worries govt

Mkushi, July 11, 2014, ZANIS—The District Administration in Mkushi has announced plans to combat the illegal cutting and trafficking of the famous Mukula tree.

The administration says it will involve the active participation of both government and traditional sectors to curb the increasing illegal trade of the indigenous tree.

 

Mkushi District Commissioner Luka Mwamba revealed to ZANIS in the area today that illegal cutting and trafficking of the Mukula tree had become rampant in the district.

Mr. Mwamba said that there was need for both the governmental and traditional Leadership to work closely in combating the illegal activity.

He said that in view of this he had liaised with Chief Mulungwe and addressed all the Village Headmen in the Chiefdom on the need to be alert against the illegal activity.

He said that he had also issued directives to village headmen to report promptly to his Office as well as to Police any suspicious activity that seemed related to illegal tree cutting and trafficking.

Mr. Mwamba affirmed that the district had been put on alert against the illegal activities, adding that Government departments such as Police, Forestry as well as the Office of the President(OP) were actively involved in addressing the issue.

He however expressed confidence in achieving the task of curbing the illegal activity, saying that he had directed Police and Forestry to set up road blocks along the Masansa—Mpula road.

ZANIS / CM / CSB/ENDS——————DRY.

 

LCC destroys shoprite cereals

Livingstone, July 11, 2014,  ZANIS———–The Livingstone City Council yesterday swung into action  seizing and destroying cereals from Shoprite Supermarket containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

Livingstone City Council Chief Health Inspector Muchoka Muchoka said Bokomo Cornflakes, popcorns and Jungle Oats were among the cereals seized and destroyed from the two Shoprite outlets in the tourist capital.

Mr. Muchoka said the quantities destroyed were 496 packets of 500 grams Bokomo cornflakes, 208 packets of 750 grams of the breakfast cereal, four packets of the one kilogram Bokomo cornflakes and 141 packets of the 375 grams cereal.

The Chief Health Inspector confirmed the development to ZANIS in Livingstone today  stating that despite Bokomo being a South African brand, the cereal seized in the exercise was manufactured in Lusaka.

Mr. Muchoka said after seizing the goods, the local authority sought guidance from the Bio Safety Authority which in turn authorized them to destroy the goods at the expense of Shoprite.

“We sought guidance from the Bio Safety Authority after seizing the goods from the Shoprite outlets. The Authority gave us clearance to destroy the goods at the expense of Shoprite and we did so in the company of police and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency,” he said.

He said the Loss Control Manager from Shoprite was yet to inform the local authority on the value of the destroyed goods.

Mr. Muchoka said the action by the council was in accordance with the Bio Safety Act of 2007 which prohibits the exposure for sale of any food containing GMOs above the legally authorized threshold of 0.9 percent.

He however, assured Livingstone residents that health inspectors checked other supermarkets in the city and found no trace of cereals containing illegal quantities of Genetically Modified Organisms.

And Livingstone City Council Public Relations Officer Harriet Chimuka urged shop owners to engage the local authority’s health department whenever they discovered that some of their products had harmful substances.

Ms Chimuka commended health inspectors for being alert and taking quick action by seizing and destroying the harmful cereal.

She reiterated the council’s commitment to undertake routine inspections to identify harmful products in a bid to protect unsuspecting consumers.

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