Minister seeks support to end commercial charcoal burning

The Minister for Lands and Natural resources has called on the chiefs and people of the Savannah region to help protect the area from environmental degradation at Bole in the Bole Bamboi District.

Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor who doubles as the member of parliament for the Damongo Constituency noted that it is only the custodians of the lands who can permit people to carry out such activities.

"I plead humbly with the chiefs of Gonjaland that there cannot be the degradation of our forest cover without them.

They have a lot to do in this respect. It is not possible for a chainsaw operator to enter into the forest of Bole to go and begin to cut down trees without the support of the chiefs and people of Bole. It can not happen. It can not happen in Damongo. It can not happen in Buipe."

The Lands and Natural Resources minister reiterated his commitment towards the agenda.

"I will do my part as your minister, whatever I will do to enforce the laws of this nation and enact policies to ensure that we deal with this matter."

Speaking at a durbar organised by the Gonjaland Youth Association, Hon. Abu Jinapor called on all stakeholders to assist the government's efforts at stopping the menace within the region.

So let us Your Excellency, our revered chefs, MP for Bole, let us call a spade a spade and confront the issue head-on.

"We will need the support of chiefs, members of parliament, assembly members, and of people of Savannah Region to be able to deal with this issue of felling of rosewoods and the degradation of our forests."

Meanwhile, the leader of the Savannah Regional Parliamentary Caucus has tasked the security agencies in the region to beef up their efforts at protecting lives and property in the region.

Addressing the durbar, Hon. Alhaji Yussif Sulemana, Mp for Bole Bamboi Constituency said

"There is growing insecurity across the length and breadth of our land. Gonjaland has become a headache. Our roads and highways have become hotspots for armed robbers and general insecurity causing fear and panic amongst our people."

Alhaji Yussif lamented over the effects of armed robbery in the region and called on all sundry to help curb the situation.

"It does not also go well for the attraction of investments and tourists that we seek. We are therefore calling on the security services especially the regional police and military commands to increase their visibility on their highway patrols to halt these unscrupulous activities."

These sentiments were shared at this year's annual Gonjaland Youth Association event on the theme "Beyond Election 2020, Uniting Gonjaland for Accelerated Socio-economic Development".