Tobacco Board of Zambia TBZ says that some people are frustrating the board’s efforts

Tobacco Board of Zambia TBZ says that some people are frustrating the board’s efforts to restructure the tobacco industry.
TBZ Executive Officer James Kasongo however, says that he will not allow anyone to frustrate his efforts and that of the board.
Speaking at the official opening of a stakeholders’ meeting in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Kasongo stated that in a quest to change the operations and brining sanity, the Board has engaged a specialist to capture data that will help in farmer Registration and their specific locations.
He says that he is targeting to work with the government to ensure there is a conducive working environment for all entrepreneurs in the Tobacco industry.
Meanwhile, government says it expects all players in the industry to observe laid down procedures and avoid doing things outside the legal stipulation.
Acting Director in the Department of Agriculture Alick Daka also called on all farmers that have not remitted levies to do so through the Tobacco Board of Zambia.
Mr. Daka emphasized that children should not be used in the cultivation and farming of Tobacco despite the sector being profitable and a quick win cash crop in the agriculture sector.
He noted that research shows that in Zambia Tobacco is seven and half times more profitable per hectare than maize production and fourteen times more profitable than Cotton production.
Mr. Daka pointed out that Tobacco has great potential to contribute to the growth of the economy through employment and wealth creation.