The Paramount Chief of the Tumu traditional area, Richard Babini Kanton IV has threatened to disenskin any divisional and sub chief under his jurisdiction who will be caught encouraging the harvesting rosewood in the area.

Tumu Kuoro who has been angered by the presence of some timber merchants in the area, stated that there is no way he will allow anyone to invade the forest to cut down trees considering how the area is prone to desertification.

He has subsequently issued a two-day ultimatum for rosewood merchants to leave the Sissala East district or incur his wrath.

“No merchant should be allowed to operate in the name of permits from any minister since the ruinous effect of the activity inflicts numerous challenges most of which are the adverse effects of climate change on residents of the area”, he revealed in an interview with Tumu-based Radford FM.

Kouro Richard Babini Kanton IV, also cautioned that any Sub and Divisional Chief who would aid the merchants to fell or convey rosewood would have their titles revoked or forfeited.

At a stakeholder meeting with the DCE Hon. Karim Nanyua, Divisional chiefs, assembly members and Unit committee members to deter them from encouraging rosewood harvesting which is fast degrading the vegetation cover in the Sissala East District, he empowered them to take supremacy over every individual in their communities to restrict them from involving in the activity.

He also called for effective collaborations from all stakeholders to fight to end illegal felling of rosewood in the area.

The DCE of the Sissala East District Hon. Karim Nanyua stated that the fight against felling of rosewood and all other acts of deforestation has just began and assured the chief of his support together with security agencies and the forestry service division to arrest and deal with the perpetrators.

To this end, he urged the chiefs not to accept any person who uses permit to either convince or force them to harvest rosewood.