Gov't appointees urged not to misuse political power

Government appointees have been urged not to pervert justice and cover offenders with their political power. Mr J. K. Manu, a Retired Forester, pointed out that misuse of their political authority could subvert, "the government's declared positive change".

He was talking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi about the manner the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr S. K. Boafo, was alleged to have intervened in a case involving the illegal felling of timber in a sacred grove at Bonwire in the Ejisu-Juaben District by two chainsaw operators.

Mr Manu said he caused their arrest and the seizure of the lumber sawn by Atta Gyamfi and Alex Kwabena Osei, who unlawfully entered the sacred grove and cut down some timber species.

Mr Manu said they were put before a Kumasi Circuit Tribunal but refused on three occasions to appear before the tribunal. "Just when the tribunal issued a bench warrant for their arrest and the order was to be effected, the Regional Minister intervened".

He said any hope of getting Gyamfi and Osei punished to serve as deterrent was now dashed. When contacted on phone, Mr Boafo expressed surprise about Mr Manu's allegations and denied any wrongdoing.

He said the alleged illegal tree felling occurred about two years ago, adding that, the lumber was for a school project in the town and were used for the roofing of the classroom block of the local Seventh Day Adventist Basic School.

The matter, which had chieftaincy undertone, was resolved about two months ago and said he found it difficult to rationalise why anybody should attempt to draw him into a local chieftaincy problem.