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The Forestry division of the Akyem Oda Municipal Assembly has arrested some 11 illegal chainsaw operators and handed them over to the Akyem Oda Divisional Police for prosecution.
The suspects were apprehended at the boundary between Akyem Oda forest and Assin Fosu forest. They are: Yaw Toku, (60), Kwaku Fosu (21), Kofi Yeboah (36), Ibrahim Alex Adamu, Kofi Baffour (45) and Yaw Nyame.
The others are: Kwadwo Duah (44), Thomas Kwasi Mawuli (46), Kofi Sarfo (43), Kwaku Annan (25) and Kofi Ankoneh (40).
Equipment seized by the forestry and military personnel includes four chainsaw machines, one monkey jack, three tools bags, three cutlasses and two gallons of fuel.
In an interview with the media the Akyem Oda municipal forestry manager Mr. Ernest Adofo revealed that they got notified by some concerned citizens and went into the forest at 15:00 hours with the military to effect the arrest of the eleven people.
He added that although the forestry commission has been arresting illegal chainsaw operators in the Municipality, it is the first time they have arrested large number.
“The number of persons arrested is unusual. Normally the number of people we arrest is mostly two” said the Municipal Forest Manager in Twi.
Mr. Ernest Adofo revealed that much damage has been caused considering the trees they have seen felled; however, the commission is yet to ascertain the accurate measure of destruction caused to the forest.
He therefore cautioned illegal chainsaw operators to desist from their activities while appealing to all and sundry to help monitor the forest for the collective good of all.
“The forest belongs to all of us. It is what contributes to climate change reduction. Let us therefore protect it because it is our life”, he urged.
