War On Armed Chain-Saw Operators

Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has declared “war” on armed chain-saw operators who have illegally entered the Tetain Forest Reserve near Bechem in the Brong-Ahafo region. The operators allegedly travel from Techiman to fell trees at night.

The Minister said the full force of the law would be applied to curb the activities of the operators who during their escapades destroy numerous species of trees in the reserve.

Alhaji Dauda announced this when, he and the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo toured the reserve.

During the tour, it emerged that the operators fell trees and cut them into timber boards and beams before transporting them.

Due to the unconventional methods adopted by the operators to cut the beams a lot of waste is generated which is left in the bush to rot.

The minister said only bad nuts in the society can take the law into their own hands and destroy what has been preserved for years and this should not be allowed to continue.

He said if the situation is not reversed the whole forest would be deplete in 10 years.

He therefore tasked the Bechem District Forest Officer, Richard Gyasi-Amoako to take over responsibility of the reserve which had been under the administration of an officer based at Nkawie in the Ashanti region.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo noted that chain-saw operation which is illegal is becoming a security threat to the region.

He promised that the Regional Security Council will take the matter up seriously and deal with it once and for all.

Stephen Adom, a farmer who lives at the fringes of the reserve told the “Times” that illegal chain-saw operations in the reserve have persisted for the past three years.

He said the operators normally load their beams in KIA trucks under armed guards and transport them to the Techiman Timber Market.

Mr Adom expressed surprise that with forest guards present in the reserve it has taken so long for the matter to come to public notice.