FC Declares War On Illegal Chainsaw Operators

The Juaboso District Office of the Forestry Commission (FC) in the Western Region has declared war on illegal chainsaw operators and miners operating in the northern part of the region.

This follows the launch of an operation by the district office of the commission recently, to prevent the illegal chainsaw operators and their mining counterparts from destroying the forest reserves in the area.

Dubbed 'Operation Save Our Forest', personnel from the commission succeeded in arresting some of the illegal the chainsaw operators and their mining counterparts, and confiscated the machines they operate with.

In an interview with The Chronicle, the Juaboso Manager of the Commission, Mr. Henry Kudiagbor, said a total of 35 chainsaw machines had been confiscated by his outfit in the last three months.

He continued that an uncountable number of lumber have also been either confiscated or retrieved from the illegal operators.

Mr. Kudiagbor explained that last year, a total of 60 chainsaw machines were confiscated and destroyed by the district office.

The development, according to the District Manager, was an indication that the 'Save Our Forest Reserves' operation was working and yielding the desired results.

Throwing more light on the operation, he noted that the Krokosu Forest Reserve recorded the highest number of illegal chainsaw invasions.

He was, however, hopeful that the activities of the illegal chainsaw operators and their mining counterparts in the forest reserves in the area, which they do on the blindside of the commission, would soon come to an end.

This, according to him, is because; the commission had decided to build camps within the various forest reserves in the area to fight against the notorious illegal chainsaw operators to stop them from destroying the forest.

The District Manager told this reporter that after building the camps in the forests, forest guards would be stationed there, with the sole aim to repel any invasion by illegal chainsaw operators.

Explaining further, Mr. Kudiagbor pointed out that the decision was reached after a careful study of the modus operandi of the illegal chainsaw operators.

He said, hitherto, anytime the commission planned to swoop on the illegal operators, their informants, who are placed at vantage positions, quickly run to inform them, and they disappear before they (personnel of the commission) could reach them.

The activities of illegal chainsaw operators have become a bother to the commission, which has the mandate to protect our forest reserves, hence the decision.

He, nonetheless, assured the nation that his outfit was fighting the invasion and destruction of our forest reserves.

He noted that, considering the number of chainsaw operators arrested and arraigned before the courts, coupled with the sentences passed, it was evident that his outfit was determined to fight to end the canker.

Expressing delight over the sentences passed on the operators, Mr. Kudiagbor noted that the court would continue to dispense justice in cases of illegal lumbering and operation, in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

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