Private companies in the tree-growing and timber-harvesting industries have begun to lay off workers as the President’s directive prohibiting timber exports takes effect.

The companies include Busoga Forestry Company, New Forests Foundation, and Besepo-Uganda LTD, among others.

According to Ponsiano Besesa, the Executive Director of Besepo Uganda, the directive is impacting the sector’s operations, and while the industry has been providing jobs to local communities, they now have no choice but to restrict the number of workers.

“I have 250 local people on ground with no qualifications and the sector has been employing them. So, this directive should be revised because where will these unemployed people go?” Basesa asked.

Basesa made the remarks, during a dialogue organized by the World Wide Fund to help affected people in the sector to discuss the way forward of operations, following President Museveni’s directive and proposed that instead of banning the harvest, the government should readjust this directive to curb unemployment that it is likely to cause.

This comes after President Museveni ordered the cancellation of all licenses and permits issued to individuals and companies to harvest timber from forests around the country.