7 forest looters on the run

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) – The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command has mounted an intensive such for seven managing directors of some timber firms for their alleged involvement in illegal timber and chain sawing operations in the Bechem forest.

The firms are Alhaji Wiafe, AOB, Burgor and Asamoah Sawmills, all located at Duayaw Nkwanta, Benko Sawmill, Amoako Table Saw, both of Techimantia and Aidoo’s Bush Mill at Derma.

The suspects are said to have contributed to the depletion of the Bechem forest and others. To enable them get away with their booty at the expense of the country, they were also said to have frustrated preliminary investigations conducted by the Forest Service Division (FSD) into their activities.

According to the Regional Crime Officer, Police Superintendent Alexander Aduow Mensah, who confirmed these to the “Times”, said the suspects have dismantled all their machines from their location and bolted.

Quantities of illegal produced logs and sawn lumber were however retrieved and parked at the Oti Yeboah Complex Limited, he added.

Incidentally, apart from AOB Sawmill, the rest have no records at the FSD pertaining to either the legitimate existence of their companies or their sources of raw material supply or both.

The Crime Officer said that the suspects had allegedly refused to comply with directives by the FSD to provide documentary proof of fulfilment of all statutory requirements pertaining to genuine timber business in Ghana.

They also refused to provide evidence of genuine sources of supply of raw material to the sawmills including permits/purchases from the FSD, if any. According to the crime officer, all efforts would be made to arrest them.