Residents of Kaabah in the Nandom Municipality of the Upper West Region have dismissed claims that the community is into charcoal production thereby cutting down trees indiscriminately.
The community was mentioned in a media report as being among some communities in the Upper West region that are into large scale charcoal production in the region.
In an interview with A1 Radio Upper West Regional Correspondent, the Chief of Kaabah Traditional Area Naa Yelvieli Sylvester said the community has over the past 10 years instituted by-laws that prohibit people from cutting down trees for whatever purpose.
He added that a committee had been setup and inaugurated for that purpose and no one is allowed to cut down a tree without the permission of the committee.
Naa Yelvieli was emphatic that the committee have to inspect any tree that someone intents to cut to pave way for building or in the case of clearing land for farming purposes before they can approve it.
He further stated, anyone found culpable of cutting down trees without authorization is fined an amount of 12 thousand cowries equivalent to three thousand Ghana Cedis and some animals.
The Chief explained that the charcoals and fire woods parked by the highway are a result of the rural electrification project that is taking place within the traditional area which the contractor sort for permission before cutting down some trees to enable him carry out the rural electrification project and community members have taken advantage.
Naa Yelvieli further said, even with that community members still come to ask for permission before they are allowed to use the fallen tree for charcoal or firewood.
The Chief also explained that some traders from the traditional area also go to Lawra Kuonwob to buy charcoals and firewood which they transport it to Kaabah and await for good prices so they can resell but they traditional council is considering stopping traders from the area from engaging in such a venture.
He challenged A1 Radio to conduct independent investigation about his claims.
Naa Yelvieli called on the public to disregard the said media report that claim the community was engaging in indiscriminate falling of trees as such media report only tend to create a bad name for the community.
Source: A1radiooline.com|101.1MHz|Dennis Bebane| Ghana
