Let’s put hands on deck to stop illegal logging of rosewood; MP to residents
Member of Parliament for Wa West, Supt Rtd Peter Lanchene Toobu has admonished Chiefs and residents in the district to put all hands on deck to stop illegal logging of rosewood.
Supt Rtd Peter Lanchene Toobu made the call at Dorimon when he led a team of security personnel and assembly members to assess the situation of illegal felling of rosewood trees in the district.
The MP said the area is affected by climate change which has resulted in inadequate rainfall and appealed to Chiefs and residents in the district to stop the illegal cutting of trees to help safe the environment from adverse devastation.
He cited Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service for their contribution in the area while urging them to be vigilant to help put an end to the menace.
The Wa West District has been in the news for bad reasons for the past three weeks over the illegal felling of rosewood trees at various communities in the area.
Last week, the Mini Ghana Project, a development initiative by the Member of Parliament with its Chieftancy and Traditional affairs portfolio met with the Paramount Chief of Wechiau and sub Chiefs to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The Chiefs assured Members of the Mini Ghana project and Security personnel of their support to end the menace in the district.
Supt Rtd Peter Lanchene Toobu poured cold water on suggestions that the chiefs in the area are behind the act and also warn chain saw operators not to step their foot in the Wa West District.
“This kind of illegal logging must stop and I am talking to the youth, I am talking to the chief, I am talking to the elders. Illegal logging in the constituency must stop. I have some people trying to impune that the chiefs are getting involved in this. I disagree… there is no chief in Wa West who will support this. The young men who are into this, I am pleading with you, please stop it. If you are chain saw operator, Wa West should be a no go area. I am happy with the security around stopping this illegal thing.” the MP indicated
He further bemoaned the devastating effects of the practice of illegal logging of rosewood on the environment and therefore described the act as dirty and embarrassing.
“We are creating deforestation at a very faster pace. This cannot be allowed to continue. It is a bad practice, it affect our environment, it will affect agriculture, it will affect our livelihood because when the last tree die: the last man dies. This is not a practice that we will encourage. As the Member of Parliament for Wa West, I am pleading with all of you, let’s put our hands together and stop this illegality. It is dirty, it is embarrassing. It is distructive.” he lamented.
