Fire ravages forest in B/A Region
Eleven forest reserves in the Brong Ahafo Region have either been completely or partly burnt since the beginning of the year.
In the Sunyani Forest District alone, two forest reserves covering more than 1000 hectares have been consumed by ravaging fires. It includes portions of the Yaya Forest Reserve at Buoku.
The 700-acre Tain II Forest Reserve (teak plantation) developed through the collaboration between a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Form Ghana, and the Forestry Commission was also burnt recently.
In the Goaso Forest District, the Aboniyere and Bonsam Bepo were completely burnt this week while patches of the Ayum and Subim reserves have also been consumed by fire.
Also affected were parts of the Bosomoa and Bunu reserves in the Kintampo Forest District and the Pamu Forest Reserve in the Dormaa Forest District.
There are 21 forest reserves with a total perimeter of 1,341 kilometres in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Causes
The Brong Ahafo Regional Forest Manager, Thomas Okyere, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, partly attributed the fires to the severe harmattan weather in the area this year.
He said human activities such as chainsaw operations, hunting and activities of Fulani herdsmen have also been identified as some of the causes of the forest fires.
Lack of staff
According to Mr Okyere, there were only 300 staff out of which about 150 of them were forest guards.
He said the staff manning the entire 21 forest reserves in the region was inadequate, making it impossible for them to control human activities in the forest.
The manager, therefore, stressed the need for stringent laws to protect the country’s forest reserves.
Mr Okyere said it was unfortunate that people who were prosecuted for indulging in chainsaw operations at Goaso were each fined GH¢240 and set free and their equipment released to them.
He explained that, under such circumstances, the law required that equipment used in chainsaw activities should be confiscated.
Mr Okyere further entreated the government to allow the commission to employ more forest guards to enable them to properly man the various forest reserves in the country.
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