Timber firm donates boardroom furniture to Minister’s office

THE Office of the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution has received a boost after Nkayi-based timber company Pride of Africa Exports donated boardroom furniture, underlining growing collaboration between Government and the private sector.

The furniture was handed over to the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo, during a ceremony at the Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo yesterday.

Receiving the donation, Minister Moyo welcomed the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative, saying partnerships between Government and the private sector play a critical role in supporting development.

“Today is a great day for my office as we meet here to witness an amazing gesture from Pride of Africa Exports, which is one of the companies doing business in Nkayi,” he said.

“What makes this event special is that it is a result of a partnership between the private sector and Government as represented by the Forestry Commission. Pride of Africa Exports operates in Gwampa Forest, which is under the Forestry Commission, and I’m happy that communities around the timber concession are assisted with benches and other needs.”

Minister Moyo urged timber companies operating in the province to take a leading role in protecting Zimbabwe’s forests by helping curb illegal logging and promoting local value addition.

“I particularly exhort timber companies to curb illegal logging and other threats to our forests. I hope that all logs are processed on site and converted to planks and furniture in Nkayi District. This will increase our timber value and create local employment,” he said.

Forestry Commission director-general Mr George Manyumwa said the partnership with Pride of Africa Exports is advancing Government’s value-addition agenda by shifting from exporting raw timber to producing processed wood products locally.

“Pride of Africa Exports, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, has migrated from selling round logs to dealing in rough-sawn timber planks in the short term. The medium-term plan is to sell finished end products,” he said.

Mr Manyumwa said timber production and harvesting is one of the key activities in indigenous gazetted forests.

“Timber is traded primarily on the domestic market as rough-sawn timber since there is legislation prohibiting the exportation of unprocessed (round logs) and primarily processed (rough-sawn timber) as a way of promoting value addition in-country,” he said.

Mr Manyumwa said the Forestry Commission provides the timber resource while Pride of Africa Exports funds harvesting operations under a regulated concession system designed to ensure sustainability.

He said hardwood harvesting is closely monitored through Forestry Commission-supervised concessions, with measures being strengthened to promote local processing.

“To ensure sustainability of the resource, the Forestry Commission, working with rural district councils, will ban the movement of round logs outside the district of origin so that processing is done on site,” he said.

“Furthermore, all timber harvesting shall be authorised once a tree count is done to ascertain the amount and extent of the resource. Community benefits remain key to our regulation of the forest sector.”

Pride of Africa Exports general manager Mrs Ednah Mkhwananzi said the donation was inspired by the positive working relationship the company enjoys with Government and the Forestry Commission.

“As a company, we acknowledge the working relationship we have with the Forestry Commission and value the continued engagement in advancing value addition of timber in Nkayi District,” she said.

“Our organisation continues to support other State functions such as Heroes Day commemorations at district and provincial level in recognition of the support we receive from the leadership in Matabeleland North Province. We hope our co-operation will continue to grow to greater heights.”