Sefwi Wiawso Forestry Manager In Trouble

The Nature and Development Foundation (NDF), a Non-Governmental Organization in forest management and legality, has expressed its objection to calls by members of the Sefwi Wiawso Constituency executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the removal from office of Nana Opoku Bosompim, District Forest Manager of the area.

In an interview, the Project Officer of NDF, Margaret Appiah, condemned the politicization of the forestry sector, saying the accusations leveled against M. Bosompim are baseless.

“How can you call for the removal of an officer just because he is not yielding to your calls to do things inconsistent with the laws governing the forestry sector?” Madam Appiah asked.

Some executives of the NPP in the Sefwi Wiawso constituency gave a June 28, 2019 ultimatum to their Regional Chairman to have Mr. Bosompim removed from office for, among others, causing the transfer of forest guards considered to be members of the party.

In their June 24, 2019 letter, signed by Mr. Michael Kwarteng, Chairman and Mr. Emmanuel Fosu Nkuah, 1^st Vice Chairman, together with other executives, the party alleged that Mr. Bosompim refused to do local sales of confiscated wood, blatantly disregarded 30% local sales and extorted money from carpenters over seizure of finished goods.

They threatened to lay down their tools for the party in support of the ‘carpenters that brought us to power’ if the party leadership failed to act before the ultimatum.

Madam Appiah explained that confiscated wood can only be auctioned under court authority, insisting that, “the Party in power does not dictate laid down wood management systems in favor of party members since forests are national but not party resources.”

She said Schedule One o the Timber Resource Management and Legality Licensing Regulations (L. I. 2254), stipulates that a Certificate of Purchase be issued by the court after the auction.

She denounced the recourse to political interference to bend and break forestry laws in favor of influential members of society and urged the leadership of the country to allow the legitimate actors to do their work.