Presiding member accuses district administration of poor supervision

Mankranso (Ash), Oct 21, GNA- Mr Joseph Agyemang-Dapaah, Presiding Member of the Ahafo-Ano South District Assembly, has accused the administration of poor supervision at the barrier, erected by the assembly to check illegal logging of lumber in the district. He said the assembly resolved at one of its sitting to form a task force to check illegal timber activities.

The presiding member said for all the years that the task force had operated, not a single truck carting illegal lumber or logs had been arrested.

Rather, he said the barrier had become a source of income for those manning it, thereby defeating the purpose for which it was formed. He was speaking at an open forum at the World Disaster Reduction Day celebration at Mankranso on Wednesday.

The theme for the celebration was: "Learning from Yesterday's Disasters for Tomorrow's Hazards -With Focus on Learning and Education". It was organised by the district office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the District Assembly.

The presiding member regretted that the forest, which served as the major source of revenue for the district was being depleted through the activities of illegal chainsaw operators and loggers.

He therefore called for the dissolution of the task force and a new one formed.

Reacting to the allegation, Mr J.K. Adomako, the District Co-ordinating Director, who represented the District Chief Executive, described the situation as unfortunate since the administration was constantly occupied with national, regional and district matters and that this took all the time of the Assembly for it to monitor the task force as it should have done.

Mr Johnson Adu, the District NADMO Co-ordinator, commended the District Chief Executive and the Assembly for their immense assistance to the organisation.