The government of the northern Mozambican province of Niassa is concerned over what it should do about the five tonnes of ivory it has in stock.
The issue was presented to President Joaquim Chissano on Wednesday during an extraordinary session of the Niassa provincial government, as part of Chissano's agenda on his tour of the province.
Chissano handed the matter to Environment Minister John Kachamila, who explained that a decision on the fate of the Niassa ivory will be taken during a meeting of representatives of countries holding ivory stocks, that is to take place in Bangkok in October.
During the Niassa government meeting, Chissano also urged the provincial authorities to encourage the development of animal feed industries to enhance the province's great farming potential.
In its report, the Niassa government noted positive advances in the development of the rural areas, through the introduction of power generators in the districts. According to that report, there has been a spurt of small agricultural processing industries in the province, particularly flour mills.
Another, no less important, component is the supply of clean drinking water, which is expected to attain a coverage of about 62 per cent of the provincial population by the end of this year, described as the highest in the northern region of the country.
The Niassa government believes that this figure is set to grow even further with the implementation of a water and sanitation project, funded by the African Development Bank, that also covers the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado.
During his visit, Chissano is to visit various socio-economic units, and inaugurate infrastructures, including am electricity sub-station in Cuamba, as part of the project to extend the national electricity grid, based on the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi, to the entire country.
Fonte: AIM
