Chiefs and police in the Northern Region accused of championing illegal logging

What used to be a practice in the West and North Gonja districts of the Northern region is gradually creeping into the East Gonja district with chiefs and some security personnel said to be cashing on the situation.

The illegal felling of trees for rosewood has resulted in the depletion of the forest cover in farming communities within the district, a situation that has been a source of worry to some residents.

According to our checks, some traditional leaders despite the repercussions of the continuous felling of the trees are reluctant to speak against the issue because they are direct beneficiaries.

The assembly man for Massaka electoral area in the East Gonja District, Seidu Amidu blamed traditional authorities and the police for the increasing spate of logging in the area due to the money they receive from timber merchants.

He said the traditional authorities being the custodians of the land allow the loggers to go into the bush to cut down the trees with the excuse that they lack social amenities and need such money to put up such facilities.

“My people told me they needed social amenities and came in agreement with the guy in charge of the logging to provide them with a dam and cut down as many trees as they want” he lamented.

The situation he said is very rampant in his electoral area and as such risk the chance of winning his seat again because he kicked against the practice.

“I have a problem with one of the chiefs because he said he doesn’t understand why I will flout his orders by stopping the loggers from cutting down more trees “.

He accused the traditional authorities, the police and the forestry commission of championing the activities of illegal logging in the area.

“At the latter part of last year I tabled the issue of logging on the floor of the assembly and the forestry commission official was called to answer questions from honourable members. We are now seeing worse of the activities “he said.

Seidu Amidu said the information he gathered is that traditional authorities in the various localities charge between GH¢500 and GH¢800 per truckload of cut rosewood before it is allowed to cart the wood away.

Meanwhile the Assembly man for Dagomba electoral area ho Mohammed Mansuru and other assembly members are seriously campaigning against the activity of logging in the area and are calling on the Forestry Commission to immediately intervene.