Timber company's operations threatens community

Akwatia (E/R), April 15, GNA - Residents of a suburb in Akwatia in the Eastern Region have threatened to drag Sakuma Company Limited, a timber company whose activities had posed serious threats to the lives of households in the area to court for redress. Madam Sophia Anoah, an elderly widow in the area told the GNA;

"This Company has not, in any way heeded to the call to stop using an unauthorized route to its site and for six times had caused motor accidents in front of my house. "I have made a number of complaints to the Akwatia Police but all had fallen on deaf ears. I do not think the Police want lives to be lost before they take action on this Company," she told the GNA in tears at Akwatia at the weekend.

Madam Anoah said for six consecutive times the Company had dropped huge logs of timber in front of her house in attempts to use an unapproved route to the site. The house is a few metres away from the Akwatia St Dominic's Hospital. Ghana News Agency's inspection showed an overturned articulated truck, with tyres dangling in the air and three huge logs of timber in front of Madam Anoah's house.

Residents said these accidents have occurred whenever the company's trucks tried to turn into a valley area that leads to its site. It took the intervention of occupants of the house to rescue a driver and his mate the last time when the timber truck of the Company was involved in an accident that took place in front of the house. Madam Anoah appealed to the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit to come to their aid to compel the Company to remove the debris in the area and also prevent them from using that route just in front of her house. She indicated that attempts to invite the Company to discuss the problem often resulted in confrontations and management of the Company had refused to give her audience.