District Forestry Manager warns contractors over release of trucks

Nkawie (Ash), Feb. 19, GNA- Registered timber contractors have been warned not to give their trucks, tractors and other machinery to unregistered firms to illegally destroy the forest. Mr Nelson Amelordzi, Atwima District Forestry Manager, who gave the warning, pointed out that company numbers, stock numbers and stamp numbers were not transferable and asked registered contractors to be wary of that.

Addressing timber contractors operating in the Atwima district at Nkawie on Tuesday, he told them that if they condoned and connived with unregistered timber contractors, they would be assisting them to evade taxes due the state and the Forestry Commission.

Mr Amelordzi advised licensed timber firms to put their property mark on any tree they fell to avoid prosecution. He also asked them to work closely with the forestry officials in the district. He called for co-operation between the timber contractors and the technical officers to expose illegal chainsaw operators and illegal loggers in the district.

Mr Amelordzi said by 2005, government would no longer pay workers of the Commission as it was expected that they would self-financing themselves.

He said any timber firm, which fails to pay its debt and defaults in the renewal property mark after 90 days, would not be given quota allocation, he added.

Mr Baffour Awuah, a timber contractor, appealed to chiefs and the communities to be considerate when negotiating their social responsibility agreement with the contractors.

He further appealed to the Forestry Commission to extend the 90 days for the renewal of property mark and the payment of their debts to enable them raise money to settle them.

Mr Awuah said sometimes they were hard pressed because their logs are locked up in the bush particularly during the rainy season.