It emphasised particularly the indiscriminate felling of Rosewood and other three species in the region’s forests which are gradually allowing in desertification on most of the forest reserves conserved for several decades.

This was contained in a statement released to the media in the region and signed by the Regional Minister, Mr Rockson Ayine Bukari who is also Chairman of the Council.

As part of measures to preserve the conservations, the REGSEC has directed lead agencies such as the Forestry Commission, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Police Service to “arrest, prosecute and impound vehicles carting the species in and out of the region”. 

The Council indicated that it “took a serious view” on the act by timber companies and merchants, and said the move was initiated against the backdrop of the ban by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources on the felling and transportation of wood.

It further observed that “such recalcitrant groups have failed to avert their minds to the fact that the directive was valid for a specific period and restricted to some licensed companies.”

Mr Bukari explained that the perpetrators of the destruction on the meager vegetation and forest of the region were hiding under a later concession given to some few designated companies to salvage already fell wood and were massively harvesting the trees on pretext.

 The Minister urged members of the public to help secure the already scarce and scanty vegetation cover in the region, and said “The Council counts on the full support and co-operation of all stakeholders including the media, to ensure that the region wins the war on deforestation and environmental degradation.”