No More Auction Of Seized Wood

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, has tasked the Ahafo Forestry Commission to cease auction of confiscated wood with immediate effect.

The minister said that the Forestry Commission is to ensure that woods seized are kept in store houses until further notice.

Mr. Jinapor gave the directive during a meeting with the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday, as part of his tour of the region.

Addressing the chiefs on ways to put an end to indiscriminate lumbering in the region, the minister suggested that a sort of “Operation Halt” is going to be in place to check illegal activities and protect forest cover which is fast depleting.

He said forests in the Ahafo Region are being destroyed and degraded through the activities of lumbering and galamsey, and therefore appealed to the chiefs to help save the environment.

“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 cover and gain back the lands used for mining in the past,” he told the chiefs.

He said he had been briefed on reports about a syndicate disturbing the locals and officials of the Forestry Commission, and asked that the Regional House work together with the REGSEC to clampdown on the illegal 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 minister said.

He also talked about the issue of charcoal burning and said everything must be done to halt it.

The President of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Ansah Adu Baah II, who is the Yamfohene, expressed his displeasure about how the forestry officers handle woods confiscated, saying that the perpetrators are not penalised enough and the wood are sold out to individuals instead of using them for developmental projects in the region.

The chief urged the minister to request mining companies to build factories in the region to ensure that the youth have an alternative job apart from mining to stem the massive unemployment situation.

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