Photos: I will clamp down on chainsaw operators business in BA-Minister Vows

Brong Ahafo regional minister, Lawyer Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh has expressed worried on the activities of illegal chainsaw operators, as they are destroying the forest reserves in the Regional.

According to the Minister, the activities of illegal chainsaw operators have become particularly worrisome since they are cutting down all the trees in the forest and casting a shadow on the operations of legal entities.

The Minister said this when his outfit, Ministry of Lands and Forest resources in collaboration with security agencies, on 21st March 2017, embarked operation to clamped down on chainsaw and other illegal timber operators destroying ‘Ayum or Bosomkese' Forest Reserve at Ntrotoso in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

When the team visited the forest about 10 timber that has been cut down by illegal chainsaw operators and also find a lot of Lumbers.

Lawyer Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh addressing the Media said “you see what these illegal chainsaw operators doing to our forest, this is so serious and I will not sit down for this unlawful behavior to continue never, I will clamp down on this chainsaw operators in the Regional with the help from Regional Security Council (REGSEC)"he added.

“ ooooo for the Lumber’s I will let the security people provide men, this chainsaw operators to pack them into a vehicles and send it to regional Forestry Commission (FC) office, including their truck they left it here but there will be securities here 24/7 and continue our these chainsaw operators and deal with them according to the law” he stated.

He said “chainsaw operations are wasteful and deplete the environment and at the same time deprive the nation of substantial taxes which they do not pay at all.

The Minister promised to address the problems by setting up a special taskforce in his office to control illegal chainsaw activities in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The minister, therefore, urges the public to desist from engaging chainsaw operators to produce lumber for them to discourage the practice.

“We would be strengthened to intensify monitoring activities at the forest gate, lumber in transit from the forest and the market centres" he concluded.

Meanwhile Mr.Akwasi Issah, a concession guard of Ayum for the Bosomkese forest, thanks to the Minister on the action he has taken to stop illegal chainsaw operators in the forest,” am really happy, it is my hope that he will continue to do this operation and provide securities here as he has promised “.

“The forestry commission is doing their best, they come here to monitor but these chainsaw operators work in the night so it is better that securities people should be here 24/7, he also indicated that their efforts have been hampered by lack of logistics.

In another related development.....
Last week, Six truckloads of illegal lumber being transported to Burkina Faso through unapproved routes have been intercepted by the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh.

The six DAF and MAN Diesel trucks were loaded with the illegal lumber at Deaba in the Asunafo South District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

Instead of the drivers using the Goaso-Sunyani Wenchi Road to Wenchi-Wa Road, they decided to drive through Dormaa-Sampa-Nsawkaw to Banda Ahenkro Road to evade security agencies and join Wenchi-Wa Highway to Burkina Faso at Tinga Junction.

By: Nana Antwi Boasiako, Metro 90.5FM, Sunyani