Tobacco
The residents of Liselo village and Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu have strongly condemned a plan by Swapo Oshikoto coordinator Armas Amukwiyu and his business partners to set up a tobacco plantation in the region.
Cabinet last year approved Namibia Oriental Tobacco’s proposal, and gave the company – which is co-owned by Amukwiyu and his Chinese partners – 5 000 hectares of land at Liselo village for a period of 25 years.
This is half of what the company wanted as they initially requested 10 000 hectares and a 50-year lease.
However, despite the project receiving the blessing of the higher-ups, the community wants nothing to do with the envisioned project that has been on the cards for years.
Namibian Sun recently visited Liselo village and the feeling on the ground is that the project is not wanted.
A number of community members - who spoke on condition of anonymity - all were against the project, citing health hazards.
They said they’re not even considering the project, despite the job opportunities it might present.
It was also revealed that the region has a substance abuse problem, with children as young as nine years old smoking cigarettes and other illegal substances.
“We don’t want that kind of a project here. We want projects that will add value to our community such as green schemes where things like vegetables and maize can be planted which the country and the locals can benefit from, not tobacco,” community members argued.
“They must take their tobacco project elsewhere.”
Dangerous harvests
Namibian Sun also met an elderly woman who worked at Katima Farm in the 1980s.
She narrated that the management planted tobacco at the time, but it was for export purposes.
She added that this was only on a small section of the farm as majority of the land was utilised for food production.
She further said tobacco harvesting is very dangerous to those working in the fields as they had to wear protective clothing at all times.
The woman – who preferred to remain anonymous – spoke at length about the chemicals applied to the plants, which she labelled dangerous. She is against people smoking tobacco, she added.
“I worked on the farm for 10 years. It was properly managed, but looking back at the dangers of working with tobacco and seeing how it’s made, I am against it now. We have children in the community who will get corrupt because of this tobacco,” she said.
‘We want food production’
Meanwhile, prior to the visit, Sampofu said in a telephonic interview that the region does not support the establishment of a tobacco plantation, stressing that food production is what’s needed.
“We don’t want a tobacco project; we want food production.”
He hinted that the land will be given to an investor who wants to produce food.
Attempts to get comment from Amukwiyu have proved futile for months, with a number of phone calls and messages to him going unanswered.
Namibian Sun asked him whether he is aware of plans by the Zambezi regional council to give the land to another investor.
Early last year, Amukwiyu told Namibian Sun that the project is still on course.
On why they had yet to kickstart the project, he at the time said the Covid-19 pandemic affected their plans.
“As far as our position is concerned, we are still committed to the investment. I can speak with assurance and confidence."
‘Chemical weapons’
The project has also been met with objections from former health minister Bernard Haufiku, who vigorously campaigned against the initiative, describing it as a “chemical weapons” project.
He urged residents of the region to “choose health over toxins”.
[email protected]
Cabinet last year approved Namibia Oriental Tobacco’s proposal, and gave the company – which is co-owned by Amukwiyu and his Chinese partners – 5 000 hectares of land at Liselo village for a period of 25 years.
This is half of what the company wanted as they initially requested 10 000 hectares and a 50-year lease.
However, despite the project receiving the blessing of the higher-ups, the community wants nothing to do with the envisioned project that has been on the cards for years.
Namibian Sun recently visited Liselo village and the feeling on the ground is that the project is not wanted.
A number of community members - who spoke on condition of anonymity - all were against the project, citing health hazards.
They said they’re not even considering the project, despite the job opportunities it might present.
It was also revealed that the region has a substance abuse problem, with children as young as nine years old smoking cigarettes and other illegal substances.
“We don’t want that kind of a project here. We want projects that will add value to our community such as green schemes where things like vegetables and maize can be planted which the country and the locals can benefit from, not tobacco,” community members argued.
“They must take their tobacco project elsewhere.”
Dangerous harvests
Namibian Sun also met an elderly woman who worked at Katima Farm in the 1980s.
She narrated that the management planted tobacco at the time, but it was for export purposes.
She added that this was only on a small section of the farm as majority of the land was utilised for food production.
She further said tobacco harvesting is very dangerous to those working in the fields as they had to wear protective clothing at all times.
The woman – who preferred to remain anonymous – spoke at length about the chemicals applied to the plants, which she labelled dangerous. She is against people smoking tobacco, she added.
“I worked on the farm for 10 years. It was properly managed, but looking back at the dangers of working with tobacco and seeing how it’s made, I am against it now. We have children in the community who will get corrupt because of this tobacco,” she said.
‘We want food production’
Meanwhile, prior to the visit, Sampofu said in a telephonic interview that the region does not support the establishment of a tobacco plantation, stressing that food production is what’s needed.
“We don’t want a tobacco project; we want food production.”
He hinted that the land will be given to an investor who wants to produce food.
Attempts to get comment from Amukwiyu have proved futile for months, with a number of phone calls and messages to him going unanswered.
Namibian Sun asked him whether he is aware of plans by the Zambezi regional council to give the land to another investor.
Early last year, Amukwiyu told Namibian Sun that the project is still on course.
On why they had yet to kickstart the project, he at the time said the Covid-19 pandemic affected their plans.
“As far as our position is concerned, we are still committed to the investment. I can speak with assurance and confidence."
‘Chemical weapons’
The project has also been met with objections from former health minister Bernard Haufiku, who vigorously campaigned against the initiative, describing it as a “chemical weapons” project.
He urged residents of the region to “choose health over toxins”.
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article