Bekwai Trad. Council Wants Government Collaboration

By Sebastian R. Freiku

The Bekwai Traditional Council (BTC) has called on chiefs to ensure that environmental degradation arising from sand and stone winning, as well as chainsaw operations and illegal mining, in the area are brought to the barest minimum.

Nana Ntiamoah Amankuo III, Akwamuhene of Bekwai, at a sitting of the Council on Thursday, reminded the members to ensure that the environment is safeguarded from destruction through such activities.

The Akwamuhene, who, until last Thursday, was the acting President of the Council, indicated that sand and stone-winning were akin to illegal mining (galamsey), and should be checked with the same zeal.

He asked colleague chiefs to monitor activities of sand and stone winning, and make sure the operators reclaim the affected areas to secure the lands for use by future generations.

Nana Amankuo charged the chiefs to liaise with the Council for the regularisation of all operators in the sand and stone business in the area, to enable it monitor their activities, and stressed on the need for chiefs to collaborate with the government to halt all illegal activities that tend to degrade the environment.

In a related development, the Akwamuhene of Bekwai has urged Forestry Commission officials to team up with nananom to protect the forests for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

The Chief appealed to the government to clamp down on chainsaw operators whose activities are contributing to the depletion of the forests.

Nana Amankuo's appeal was made when Mr. George Agbenowoshi was introduced to the Council on resumption of duty as the Bekwai District Forest Manager of the Forestry Commission.

The Chief, who accused some forestry officials of aiding chainsaw operators to desecrate the forests, called on nananom to make sacrifices in protecting forests, while calling on the new Forest Manager to intensify monitoring of the forest reserves against all human activities.

Accompanied by his two deputies, Messrs Agyapong and Nyame, Mr. Agbenowoshi called for collective efforts to protect the forests, because they are the source of the very livelihood of the human race.

He promised to stamp his authority on illegal chainsaw activities with the cooperation of chiefs.

The Forest Manager indicated that farmers are also destroying the forests, and called them to refrain from farming in the forest reserves.

According to him, the Forestry Commission has initiated an exercise to plant trees in forest reserves, for which it will provide technical support and seedlings, explaining that the exercise was aimed at protecting river bodies.

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