An official of the Forestry Commission has stated that all natural resources in the country, including trees and timber, belong to the state, and traditional rulers in whose jurisdictions such resources are located only hold them in trust for the state.
He said it did not matter whether the natural resources are located in a reserved forest or on family land, and explained that there were laws regulating mining and logging in the country, and that anybody or entity who intends to engage in the business should first obtain the necessary permits, rather than engage in illegal mining or chainsaw logging in the forests.
Mr. Michael Agyekum Oteng, Dunkwa-On-Offin District Forestry Manager, made these observations when he briefed journalists at Dunkwa last week Wednesday, on efforts being made by the Commission to replenish and protect the forest reserves in the area.
Mr. Oteng said the Commission and some 175 Youth Employment Agency (YEA) staff in the district nurtured about 124,265 seedlings, out of which 79,345 were lifted to some forest reserves, including Bowiye, Minta, Opon Mansi and Bonsa Ben.
The Forestry Officer stated that over 500 acres of forest had been planted this year in the various forest reserves in the Dunkwa Forest District, which is made up of Upper Denkyira East, Upper Denkyira West, Twifo Atti-Morkwa, Mpohor Wassa East, Prestea Huni Valley and Wassa Amenfi East municipality and districts.
Mr. Oteng said illegal mining and chainsaw operations were no longer prominent in the Dunkwa areas, and emphasised that only those farmers whose cocoa farms happened to be admitted in the forest reserves at the time of demarcation were allowed to continue with their farming activities.
He appealed to the chiefs and communities around the various forest reserves to assist the commission in the fight against illegal mining and logging in the forests, and was emphatic that his directorate would deal ruthlessly with anybody arrested flouting the laws.
The Assistant District Forestry Manager, Mr. George Atta, said the farmers were grateful to the government for allowing them land to cultivate the Taungya species.
He also appealed to the government to consider engaging the YEA staff permanently, especially those of them engaged in important modules like the afforestation project.
From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Dunkwa-on-Offin
The post Forestry Commission committed to protect forest reserves -Manager appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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