Jaksally, a non-governmental organization has been at the forefront of the fight against logging and commercial production of charcoal in the Savannah Region for the last five years.
The NGO on October 26, 2020, led other organizations such as Arocha Ghana, Sildep, North code to organize a stakeholder dialogue in Bole to share ideas for improving collaboration in the Savannah Ecological Zone.
The dialogue brought together government agencies, municipal and district assemblies, traditional authorities, and other CSOs.
Though many at the dialogue pointed chiefs out for blame for the menace, the Bolewura Safo Kutugefeso said officers of the Forestry Commission are failing his traditional area.
He said though he invited and requested from the Forestry Commission in the area to enforce the ban, the illegal activity is still ongoing because of collusion and lack of supervision from the commission.
The chief said, “I invited two forestry people here after placing the ban and empowered them to help us stop it but it’s still going on because there is no supervision and the market is still there for it.”
The District Chief Executive for Bole, Veronica Alele Heming advised commercial producers of charcoal in the district to leave.
“I want to appeal to everyone who is in the Savannah Region to log and fell our trees especially the shea and dawa trees for charcoal and other activities to go away. Our youth, let’s unite and send them away,” the DCE charged.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News after the dialogue, the programme coordinator of Jaksally, Jeremiah Abubakari Seidu said the next thing is for the coalition to engage stakeholders at the community level and provide alternative income generation opportunities for people engaged in the illegal activity.
“What we are to do now is to move and engage the chiefs and community members to understand the need to stop this canker. We also need to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for the people and introduce sustainable use of the trees,” Mr. Seidu said.
In recent times, felling of trees such as rosewood in the Savannah ecological zone has boomed.
Fresh shea and dawadawa trees are also being cut for charcoal and timber production.
According to stakeholders, this situation, if unchecked may bring dire consequence to residents.
