Chief equates illegal chainsaw operators to nation wreckers

Manfo (Ash), Oct. 12, GNA - Nana Kwame Ntim II, Omanhene of the Manfo Traditional Area in the Ahafo-Ano North District, has described illegal timber and chainsaw operators as nation wreckers whose activities must be halted.

He said apart from depriving traditional authorities and the state of revenue, they destroyed cocoa and foodstuff farms and caused havoc to the environment especially water bodies.

Nana Ntim said this during an emergency meeting of the chiefs, assembly and unit committee members and religious leaders from 25 towns and village in the traditional area to discuss problems confronting them at Manfo at the weekend.

He cautioned the people not to collaborate with such unpatriotic citizens and said chiefs and assembly members would be held responsible for any illegal timber and chainsaw operations in their areas. The Omanhene described the present state of the roads in the area as deplorable and appealed to the government to fulfil its promise to tar the Akwasiase-Achawkrom road and rehabilitate the Manfo-Twabidi and Manfo-Mfante roads.

He said Konkori is one of the villages selected to benefit from the Asanteman development projects whilst five junior secondary school pupils in the area were benefiting from the Otumfuo Education Fund and called on the people to pay their annual contributions for more pupils to benefit.

Nana Ntim praised the government for introducing the National Health Insurance Scheme and called for its speedy implementation. Mr Joseph Yaw Opoku, District Police Commander, blamed the communities in the district for illegal timber and chainsaw activities and expressed his support for the action taken by the people in the area to check it.

He appealed to the other traditional authorities in the district to emulate the good example of the people of Manfo.