Lift ban on chainsaw lumber operation -Association

Agona Swedru, July 9, GNA - The Domestic Lumber Traders Association of Ghana (DLTAG), has appealed to the Ministry of Lands and Forestry to lift the ban on chainsaw operation to ensure the regular supply of wood on the market. Mr Kojo Yamoah, National Secretary of the Association, who made the appeal at an emergency national executive committee meeting at Agona Swedru in the Central Region, noted that the ban led to the formation of the Timber Taskforce, which was being used by some individuals to enrich themselves.

A Forestry Watch survey in Ghana revealed that, Chain saw operators produced 80 per cent of lumber on the market, which prompted the Association to hold a stakeholders forum on the matter at Agona Swedru. He said the European Union (EU) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) survey on the domestic lumber trade has also called for the ban to be lifted to pave way for quality and best managed forests. Mr Yamoah said the Forestry Commission (FC) has declared that, the domestic market regularization would be implemented in the next five years and added that the Association opposed to the Commission's refusal to lift the ban. He noted that since the formation of the taskforce, many lives had been lost due to the misuse of firearms by the soldiers in the group. The DLTAG Secretary said soldiers of the Taskforce had taken lives at Kasoa, Agona Swedru, Odobeng, Nsawam and Asuom. He said in all these shooting incidents the law had not taken its course.