Looters Invade Drobonso Forest....As DCE, Chief Send SOS To Govt

Hon. Fuseini Donkor, DCE For Sekyere Afram Plains

THE RICH forest of Sekyere Afram Plains, one of the newly created districts in the Ashanti Region, faces serious degradation as a result of the activities of illegal chain saw and timber merchants operating in the area.

The already deplorable situation of the district, whose major economic activity is farming, is expected to get worse following the invasion of unlicensed timber merchants and chain saw operators who have reportedly turned the district's green forest into a gold mine.

Information available to modernghana.com indicates that a cartel of chain saw operators, who have been going round claiming they have concessionary license from the assembly, have resorted to wanton and indiscriminate felling of felling of trees in the main forest reserve, this putting the environment and the economic lives of the people in danger.

Further investigations reveal that the activities of these chain saw operators are likely to deplete the main source of water supply to some major communities as the rivers and streams whose very survival depend on the green forest, are gradually drying up.

The District Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Fuseini Donkor, has therefore sent a strong signal of the intention of the assembly to clamp down on the illicit business.

In a release copied and made available to this reporter, the DCE stated emphatically that the "Assembly has no records or evidence of individuals or companies permitted or given valid licenses to operate within the forest reserves or off-reserves in the district as being bandied around.

The statement indicated that as a political authority vested with the power to protect and safeguard the natural environment, the assembly was taking serious steps to nib in the bud the activities of these unscrupulous elements.

He said for this reason, the Assembly has placed a temporary ban on all lumber and logging activities within the district and has therefore warned that any group or individual that violates the ban will be severely dealt with.

The statement further quoted the Omanhene of the Kumawu Traditional Council, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, as having given his total support and actually ordering that the Nana Otuo Acheampong Sawmill, which belongs to the Kumawu Stool, to strictly abide by the order in order to safeguard the forest from any further destruction.