The Association of Bamboo Growers in the Assin South District of the Central Region has appealed to the Forestry Commission to check the indiscriminate harvesting and trading in bamboo and rattan in the District.

It said that would help forestall the depletion of bamboo and rattan plantations in the area.

Mr Nathaniel Asamoah, the Chairman of the Association, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said dealers in wood had diverted attention to the few bamboo and rattan plantations left in the area, after virtually depleting the timber forests.

He said some members of the Association had, on several occasions, spotted articulated trucks fully loaded with bamboo being transported to Accra, Kumasi or Takoradi.

However, the Association lacked the legal authority to control and check the indiscriminate felling of the trees and suggested that bamboo and rattan be placed under the Timber Resources Management Laws to check their dissipation through the unscrupulous dealers.

Mr Asamoah said the bamboo tree held the key to checking soil erosion, protection of water bodies, wildlife and the environment.

The health benefits of the leaves, in particular, could not be overemphasised, he said, adding that it helped to maintain healthy skin, prevented Alzheimer's disease and detoxification, reduced high blood pressure, supported nail and hair growth, wounds healing and relieved menstrual pain.

Mr Asamoah encouraged farmers to take Keen interest in bamboo cultivation as a lucrative venture for job creation and provision of industrial raw material.

"The cultivation of bamboo required little capital injection and less tedious, therefore, we encourage all to get involved for mutual gain," he said.