By Bernard Waweru

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Government urged to lift ban on logging

Hundreds of saw mill workers in Molo Sub County has petitioned the government to lift the ban on logging since they were not issued with notice before enforcement of the ban which has rendered hundreds of youths jobless following the closure of several saw mills in Molo constituency. Molo based Lawyer Jack Mwaniki says the ban on logging had both environmental and economic effects adding that saw millers and their employees had lost their livelihood without due notice from the government before enforcement of the ban on tree felling. He said only rehabilitation of destroyed forest cover will bring back the lost glory of forests, adding that Elburgon division has the biggest forest blocks that form part of the Mau forest water catchment.  The saw millers have also urged the government to absorb youths in massive forest rehabilitation exercise to avert them from crimes and drug abuse which may be caused by frustrations after losing their jobs in saw milling industry.Another resident Maryanne Njambi said that the economy of the greater Molo largely depends on the timber industry given that the pyrethrum and potato industry no longer thrives.  She said the government should empower locals in tree planting under the Shamba system. She said that it was encouraging to see that most youth groups in the area have established tree seedbeds waiting for the government forest rehabilitation program.