Upper West regional minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih has warned chiefs, security personal and opinion leaders in the Wa West district that persons found to have engaged in the illegal felling of economic trees especially rosewoods would be severely dealt with.  

He stated that the district has gained notoriety for the illegal felling of economic trees and he would not allow that to continue. 

According to him, anybody found complicit in the illegal felling of economic trees in the area would not be spared.

Dr. Bin Salih gave the warning when he met with chiefs from the Wechiau and Dorimo paramountcy.

He revealed that the president had tasked the ministers (regional ministers) to play a frontline role in the fight against the illegal mining and felling of trees.

‘‘I will spare no effort at ensuring that that those people who engaged in this illegality are weeded out of the region,’’ he added

Wa West is one of four districts in the Upper West region where the illegal felling of economic trees especially rosewood is at its highest.

The district for the past three months has been invaded by the rich powerful rosewood merchants with the connivance of unscrupulous local authorities and they cut all tree species they think are of value to their trade.

They will first of all look for their prime target which is the rosewood specie and if is not readily available, they will then go for tree species which look same as rosewood but with a lesser value to cut.   

One community notorious for the indiscriminate cutting of the trees is Salamaana, located in the Dorimo traditional area.

The Upper West regional minister joined by members of the Upper West Regional Security Council and the Wa West District Chief Executive Edward Labiri Sobo took a tour of area to see for themselves the extent of the illegal activities.

The minister was visibly angered by the sea of trees that were illegally cut majority been afzelia known locally as paalpa or kakalaa.

‘‘I am really disappointed. Look at the cutting it is not far from the community and they watched on and allowed this illegality to go on,’ ‘he lamented.

The regional minister, however, was not happy with the conduct of the police command in the district as oftentimes persons arrested for the illegal act are left to go, which demotivates the people who make the arrest.