Government lifts logging ban

The Ugandan government has lifted a ban on felling trees in state-owned forests, but has disqualified 50 companies from resuming operations, 'The EastAfrican' weekly reported on Monday. It said the lifting of the ban - imposed last month to allow an assessment of the forestry industry and a verification of the companies involved in it - followed revelations that the government had lost huge amounts of money to "illegal operators". "Tax arrears of the disqualified companies total over 80 million Ugandan shillings, while the amount of money the government has lost is still unknown," the paper said. The minister of state for the environment, Kezimbira Miyingo, was quoted as saying that out of 60 companies, only three were found operating with valid licences. A new system, whereby all trees have to be paid for in advance, will now be introduced, the minister said.