Hot!News

Lands Ministry to set up task force to fight illegal lumbering in Bono East Region

A taskforce to fight illegal lumbering in the Bono East Region is to be set up within the coming month.

To be comprised of military, police and Forestry Commission personnel, it would be tasked to clamp down on lumbering activities in forest reserves in the region.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, explained that, currently, lumbering activities had resulted in the depletion of forest cover on the area.

Briefing the media following a meeting with the Bono East Regional Security Council, here at Techiman yesterday, he said government was committed to arrest and prosecute individuals and groups engaged in the illegal activity.

He noted that a report about illegal lumbering in the region indicated that the activities were perpetrated by some Ghanaians in connivance with foreigners.

These actors, the Minister said, were heavily armed and engaged in lumbering activities with impunity.

“We are aware of the illegal lumbering canker in the region. We are ramping up efforts to clamp down on it.

The taskforce will be dedicated to dealing with the canker, put a stop to it and arrest the perpetrators,” Mr Jinapor noted.

The Bono East Regional Minister, KwasiAdu-Gyan, noted with concern the increasing dissipation of the region’s forest cover saying that the Regional Security Council would collaborate with the Ministry to end the menace.

He cautioned the perpetrators that the taskforce would leave no stone unturned in clamping down on illegal lumbering.

He said the Regional Security Council would work to preserve the region’s forest saying “we will do all we can to help in the realisation of government’s agenda to protect the country’s forest”.

FROM CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS, TECHIMAN

Show More
Back to top button