Wa, Feb. 21, – There is the need
to intensify the fight against illegal rosewood harvesting in the three
northern regions as it is destroying the few forests and polluting water
bodies.
The erratic rainfall pattern in
northern Ghana, which is having adverse effects on agriculture, could also be
blamed on the destruction of the forest by people in search of rosewood trees.
Mr Abu Kabiebata Kansangbata,
Acting Executive Director of Savannah Development Policy Think Tank, said there
is the need for government machinery to marshal the same forces and commitment
as it is being done in the fight against illegal mining to help forestall the
destruction of forest cover in northern Ghana.
Mr Kansangbata, who was speaking
in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the time has come for
government to stop paying lip service to the issue and take concrete steps that
would arrest the problem.
He urged government to form an
anti rosewood task force just like it did for the ‘galamsey’ fight, arguing it
was the only way the fight could be won.
“All the time successive
governments issue notices of bans on rosewood harvesting and yet the practice
is going on deep in the forest”, he said.
He appealed to Members of
Parliament (MPs) from the north to treat the issue as urgent and raise it on
the floor of parliament for government pay more attention to the concern.
Mr Kansangbata expressed worry
that activities of the chainsaw operators have started affecting the Wechiau
Hippo Sanctuary in the Wa West District which was raking in lots of revenue for
development.
“This asset must not be allowed
to be destroyed by these self seeking chainsaw operators”, he said.
GNA
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