ILLEGAL CHAINSAW OPERATORS TO FACE THE LAW (SPREAD)

THE government has declared a nation-wide war on illegal chainsaw operators, with a warning that persons caught with illegal lumber face severe punishment, while their vehicles will be confiscated to the state.
Additionally, security around the country’s forest reserves and on routes to the timber areas is to be tightened to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of offenders.
The measures, according to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, were part of a comprehensive plan to halt deforestation and the alarming rate at which “the country’s forest resources are being destroyed by illegal timber operators”.
The government’s action was announced after a visit to one of the country’s most treasured forest reserves in the Brong Ahafo Region which is said to be disappearing due to the activities of illegal operators.
It became clear during the visit that operators had encroached on the Tinte Bepo Forest Reserve in the Nkawie District of the Brong Ahafo Region and depleted it of almost all its precious wood cover.
Prime species of wood destroyed by the illegal timber operators in the 115.5 square-kilometre reserve include Ofram, Mahogany, Wawa and Dahoma.
The degraded state of the forest came to light when some state officials and environmentalists, led by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, visited the reserve on Monday.
The minister cautioned the chainsaw operators to desist from their nefarious activities because his ministry had declared a relentless war to clamp them down.
Alhaji Dauda expressed grave concern over the wanton destruction of the Tinte Bepo Forest Reserve, saying it was disheartening and alarming to enter the forest only to find the illegal timber operators felling trees of all sizes.
He was accompanied by the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Executive Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), Mr Raphael Yeboah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Tano South, Mr Bukari Zakari Anaba, and the Tano South District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) W. Y. Avornu.
Alhaji Dauda’s visit followed a tip-off that some people were illegally causing extensive damage to the portion of the forest near Bechem and off the Bechem-Tepa main road.
Since the Tinte Bepo Forest Reserve stretches into the Tano South District, the minister directed that with immediate effect the Forestry Commission should cede it to the Bechem office of the FSD for effective and efficient supervision, management and monitoring.
He appealed to all Ghanaians, especially Nananom and opinion leaders in the various communities, to assist the ministry and the Forestry Commission in their resolve to flush out all illegal chainsaw operators in the country.
“That is what I have started and I will follow them wherever they are going and whichever forest they enter until they stop their inimical activities. They can’t hide because I will move from forest to forest to deal with them,” the minister said.
He observed that looking at the way the country’s forest resources were being destroyed, if appropriate measures were not put in place, there would come a time when Ghanaians would have to import wood to undertake projects.
The regional minister, who was equally outraged, pointed out that the destruction of forests in the region and security issues were the main problems in the region.
He gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) would deal decisively with all illegal matters, in collaboration with other stakeholders.
Mr Yeboah said the destruction of forests was a national menace and indicated that the exercise embarked upon by the minister would be sustained until the phenomenon was stopped to save the environment from total destruction.
Mr Anaba disclosed that a truckload of sawn timber had been impounded for investigation.
The minister later directed the DCE and officials of the FSD to ensure that all the pieces of sawn timber left in the forest were conveyed and auctioned.