Jaksally Development Organisation in collaboration with A Rocha Ghana, NORTHCODE and Social Initiative for Literacy and Development Program (SILDEP), has on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, held one day workshop in Bole District of Savannah Region on the effects of deforestation on the environment .
Speaking to various stakeholders at the Wuripe Conference Hall, the Coordinator of Jaksally Development Organisation, Mr. Seidu Jeremiah urged the Youth, Security, Chiefs and stakeholders to be focused and consider the future generation by guiding against the rampant felling of trees in the Region.
Mr. Jeremiah added that, with the support from the Paramount Chief of the Bole Traditional Area, Sarfo Kutege Feso l, the fight against illegal logging in the area will be a thing of the past because the chief has shown much interest in banning the indiscriminate cutting of trees within his jurisdiction.
Bishop Peter Paul Angeier, speaking to the participants urged them to be committed in the fight against illegal logging in order to protect the environment from been degraded.
He said, large portions of our environment have been destroyed as a result of illegal logging. we are indirectly killing ourselves because there is a saying that, “when the last tree dies, the last man dies too”, he added.
Madam Veronica Alele Heming, DCE for Bole District said several meetings with the security have been held concerning the speed at which tree felling and charcoal burning is fast deteriorating the forest or shea trees in Kakiase, Sonyo and other parts of this area.
She commended the Kakiase chief and his people for actually standing against tree felling and charcoal burning in the community.
The people in Savannah Region still leaves in abject poverty while people from afar come to cut the rosewood away. Those people make alot of money from the rosewood while the residents still wallow in poverty, she said.
Madam Alele further appealed to the Paramount Chiefs in the Savannah Region to fight these rosewood logging because we have started experiencing its adverse effects as 8 schools were ripped off from heavy rain storm as a result of tree felling.
Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge feso l, thanked the Jaksally Development Organisation and it’s partners for their effort in the fight against illegal logging in the Region.
He said as a chief and in his quest to end the menance, his first policy was to write an official letter to the Forestry Commission, Police Commander and all sub-chiefs to ban tree felling and charcoal burning as directed by Yagbonwura, the overlord of Gonjaland Traditional Council.
Despite their efforts, in curbing the menance some miscreants are still not heeding to the directive, he said.
He said, he as a Bolewura or Yagbonwura can not get up themselves and enter the forest to stop them from that illegality.
He added, “those who are responsible for the prevention sometimes allow them to enter the forest and engage in this illegality of tree felling thereby destroying our environment.
Bolewura, Sarfo Kutuge Feso l, assured the participants of his support to making sure that we end the cutting down of trees in the Bole Traditional as re-echoes the old adage that “when the last tree dies, the last man also die”.
Source: Yagbon Radio/Abdul Fataw Diwura
