The Savannah Regional Security Council, (SREGSEC) headed by Saeed Muhazu Jibril has extended the one-month ban placed on Rosewood logging, commercial charcoal burning, and illegal mining by a week.

This was done with an official outdooring of a task force comprising personnel from the Police Service, members of some Civil Society Organisations, and other security agencies in Damongo in the West Gonja Municipality.

At a Regional Consultative Dialogue Meeting with members of the Gonja Traditional Council for broader consultation, Mr. Saeed Muhazu Jibril, who doubles as the Savannah Regional Minister said the one-week extension is meant for more engagement with the chiefs who according to him, are the custodians of the land.

According to him, to the task force is to ensure that measures outlined during the consultative dialogue will be implemented fully.

"Initially, when we started, we just wanted to form a task force and start to work but that wouldn't be the right way to go. So, we decided that we will wait and do a consultation on the issues.

"Today, we are formally outdooring the task force to see to the end of commercial charcoal burning, illegal rosewood logging but let me also reiterate that in the Savannah Region, it is not only going to be Rosewood, but it's also general logging that has been banned particularly Pawpaw and Senyah trees", he added.

Mr. Saeed Jibril noted that these trees must be preserved due to their importance to the environment.

"You realize that if you go to the eastern part of the Savannah Region where we have many river bodies, you know Senyah grows around those river bodies, but now it will shock you to see that almost everything has been cut down from the area. We want to protect this and stop people from cutting down the trees or eventually, these rivers are going to dry up".

It is for this reason that, the custodians of the land must be engaged, the Minister explained.

"We know the consequences we are going to face in Savannah Region when our water bodies dry up. So, we are doing this just to make sure that we collaborate with the chiefs because they are the owners of the Land.
You know the Constitution of Ghana has vested all-natural resources into the hands of the President, but the custodians of the land to are there. If you want to succeed, you need to consult them."

On the implementation of the ban, the Savannah Regional Police Commander, DCOP Enock Adutwum Bediako said his outfit is combat ready adding, that support from the media will go a long way to help in the fight.

"Yes, I know it's a heavy responsibility but with the involvement of all and the press, it will work better. Also, this is an environmental issue and environmental damage affects the whole country and not only the Savannah Region. So, it's a collective responsibility of all to make sure that this time, we succeed".

On his part, the President of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, Yagbonwura Sulemana Tutumba Bore - Essa I appealed to all Paramount chiefs, politicians, and natives of the region to embrace the ban whole-heartedly.

According to the King, "this crusade is not clothed with any political lenses. The crusade is wearing patriotic lenses and must be seen and approached as such.

"It is sad and indescribable how the vegetation cover of the hard-earned Kingdom is mishandled especially in matters of illegal logging of Rosewood and the glaring nature of commercial charcoal burning activities taking place in the Kingdom," he said.