Legalisation of chainsaw operation advocated

Abesim (B/A) Oct. 22, GNA - Mr Obiri Yeboah, Sunyani Municipal Cooperative Officer has suggested the formation of an association of illegal chainsaw operators in order to impress on government to lift the ban on the operation.

He explained that the formation of such associations would convince government to not only lift the ban but also allocate concessions for the operators.

Mr. Yeboah made the suggestion at a day's workshop organised by Abesim Afforestation Brigade (AYAB), a local non-governmental organisation at Abesim. It attracted about 100 illegal chainsaw operators in the area.

He noted with concern that since chainsaw activities remained illegal currently, it posed a threat to the lives of the operators, especially those operating at night in order to outwit security agencies.

He expressed concern about indiscriminate felling of lumber by the operators, saying they were causing environmental degradation and deforestation.

Mr Yeboah cited galamsey and banker-to-banker operations which were banned sometime in the past, saying this activities have now been legalised after their respective operators came together to form groups. Mr. Kwasi Adomah Febre, a participant, contended that some of them had no alternative but rather depended solely on illegal chainsaw practice to cater for their family and therefore could not stop the operation.

He alleged that large saw millers in the area were destroying their farm produce with their heavy equipment to convey lumber without compensating them.

"We in the community who are sole owners of the trees cannot afford to buy wood to roof our buildings from saw mill operators because of the high costs involved," Mr. Febre said, adding that "we have to fell lumber with our chainsaws before we can roof our shelters". Mr. Kwaku Yeboah, Executive Secretary of AYAB, explained that the workshop was part of a series aimed at impressing on government to legalised chainsaw operation in the country.

He held that when the ban is lifted on illegal chainsaw operations, the authorities would be better placed to check illegal felling and encourage forest preservation.

Mr. Yeboah suggested to government to impose the necessary taxes on the operators when legalised to generate enough revenue for nation building.

"Illegal chainsaw operation has been in the system for a long time, but the perpetrators are still doing it and evading taxes without fear of being caught," he stressed.