Alhaji Alhassan Bukari
The National President of the Ghana Cocoa Coffee Sheanut Farmers Association (GCCSFA), Alhaji Alhassan Bukari popular known as Agartha has raised concerns on the rampant and indiscriminate felling of trees in the Savannah Region including Commercial Trees like the Shea and Dawadawa for charcoal burning.
In an exclusive interview with Bole based Nkilgi FM on 27th May, 2020, the President of GCCSFA sometimes referred to as National Chief Farmer said the Shea tree has played an important role in uplifting the living conditions of the people of the North especially women and wonder why this economically viable tree is being cut down. He said the Shea tree has also brought infrastructure development to the Savannah Region notable among them with being the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana situated at Bole and the Sheanut factory at Buipe.
The National Chief Farmer who hails from the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region said Shea and Dawadawa trees are very useful to individuals and the government in general, so there is no need to destroy these trees in the name of charcoal burning.
“Today I am the National Chief Farmer because of the Shea tree and since we have decided to cut them down, who will be next to National chief farmer if all the Shea Tress finish?”; he asked.
Alhaji Alhassan Bukari urged the Bolewura and the sub-chiefs of the Bole Traditional area as well as all Chiefs in Gonjaland to take measures in curbing this rampant and indiscriminate felling of trees so as to see a brighter future for generations unborn.
Alhaji Alhassan also said the Chiefs, as well as the Municipal and District Assemblies within the Savannah Region, should do whatever they need to do to control the menace of indiscriminate felling of trees to save the Savannah Region from a great future disaster.
