By: Felix Cofie
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has directed the Ahafo Forestry Commission not to auction any confiscated wood product, until further notice.
He said until he gets back to the Commission with a different directive, Officers of the Commission are to ensure that all wood products seized should be warehoused.
The Minister gave the directive during a meeting with the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs at Goaso.
Addressing the Chiefs on ways to put an end to illegal lumbering in the region, the Minister suggested that a kind of “Operation Halt” will be enforced in the region for a period.
Mr Jinapor said he is saddened by the rate at which the land of the Ahafo region has been degraded by the activities of illegal lumbering and galamsey and therefore appealed to the Chiefs to help to salvage the remaining forest.
He added “it is true that we are yet to start with the reclamation programme but I would plead with you to help salvage what we have as we wait to recover and gain back the lands used for mining in the past”, according to Mr. Jinapor.
Regarding reports of Cartels in the region terrorizing Officials of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Junapor asked that the House work together with the Regional Security Council, REGSEC to clampdown on their activities.
”I have received a number of reports about these Cartels, I hear some go by the name Salifu 11 and another Malik 9 who are going round causing harm to our Officials, this is not a good thing, and I would plead with you to work together with the REGSEC to bring the situation under grips”.
The Lands Minister again craved the indulgence of the Chiefs to assume their rightful positions and capacity as Heads of their Traditional Areas and ensure that Charcoal Burning is halted.
The President of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs Nana Ansah Adu Baah who is also the Yamfohene expressed displeasure about how the Officers of the Forestry Commission handle confiscated wood, saying that perpetrators are not penalised as they should, also the wood is sold out to strangers instead of being used for developmental projects in the region.
He further asked that the Minister request Mining Companies in their community to build factories in the region to ensure that the youth have alternative jobs.