Dadiesoaba citizens to drive away encroachers at Desiri Forest

Dadiesoaba (B/A), Aug. 24, GNA - Citizens of Dadiesoaba, in the Asunafo District of the Brong Ahafo Region, have threatened to use every means possible to drive away migrant farmers who are allegedly encroaching on the Desiri Forest Reserve.

A letter written by Nana Attah Mensah II, Chief of the town and addressed to the Minister of Lands and Forestry and the Conservator of Forest, asked the Government to act promptly to save the Forest from irreparable damage.

The letter called on the Government to hand over the management of the Reserve to the traditional authorities, if it was no longer interested in conserving the forest.

Nana Mensah said the Reserve, was created after illegal chainsaw operators and tenant farmers had depleted the forest of its resources. He said Government contracted a number of firms to replant the forest.

Mr Atta Owusu, Ashanti Regional Manager of the Forest Service Division, told the Ghana News Agency, that the Forestry Commission was doing its best to check the degradation of the Reserve. He said the Commission occasionally organised security personnel to flush out the farmers.

Mr Atta Owusu called for the collective efforts by the stakeholders to deal with the problem.