Charcoal burning in the Upper West Region is becoming a threat to environmental security as many farmers are now moving from crop farming to charcoal production.
The charcoal business is seen as a lucrative business hence several people especially farmers now engaged in charcoal burning during the dry season for livelihoods.
Salamatu Abubakar, a charcoal producer said she is unemployed and does not have a trained skill so she is unable to stop the charcoal business because it is from the charcoal business that she cater for her children needs such as their educational needs, feeding and health needs.
She added that if she stops the charcoal business and stays at home, she will have problems with many people who will call her unproductive and even a gossip because she is always at home.
Faustina Dery, a charcoal user explained that she started patronizing charcoal since her childhood and she now 45 years which she uses for cooking.
She said that some of them cannot live without charcoal because gas is too expensive and they cannot afford to buy gas so they depend largely on charcoal.
Mrs Dery said if the government can reduce the cost of gas then they are more willing to resort to its use and stop using charcoal.
The Manager for the Lawra Forest District of Ghana Forestry Commission Baba Musa Iddrisu said forest areas regulate climate so if it is depilated most often that area reduces in its’ rainfall, for example, if you compare the northern part of Ghana to the South or high forest zones those areas receive more fall than the northern savanna areas.
Mr Musa said, the forest also plays an important function such as water shade protection, so if the area is depilated off the forest, then these water bodies or sources are exposed to the dry condition and so you will have your river bodies or important water sources drying up and that also has its social and economic impact because some communities rely solely on these rivers for their households use.
Mr Musa said, it was imperative that people understand that one must secure a permit from the Forestry Commission before going into the forest to carry out any activity.
He said the commission has no power stop individuals from carrying out their farming activities at their farms around the forest but cautioned that they must secure permit before they can cut naturally occurring trees.
It can be observed that heavy trucks that have loaded sugar, cement and other consumables from the South to the North including the Upper West region when making a return to the South are loaded with bags of charcoal.
Source: A1Radiooline.com|101.1MHZ|Dennis Bebane|Ghana
