Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih has indicated that persons engaged in illegal felling of economic trees within the Wa West District would be severely dealt with.

Speaking to the traditional authorities and opinion leaders in the region, he noted that the District has gained notoriety for the illegal felling of rosewood and would ensure such acts come to halt.

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

According to him, regional ministers have been tasked to be at the frontline in dealing with illegal felling of trees and mining.

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

Dr Hafiz Bin Salih joined by members of the Upper West Regional Security Council and the Wa West District Chief Executive Edward Labiri Sobo took a tour of the area to assess the effects of indiscriminate felling of trees.

The unpleasant site left the Minister together with the others peeved and perturbed.

‘‘I am really disappointed. Look at the trees cut. It’s not far from the community and they watched on to allow this illegality go on,” he lamented.

Following his tour, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih admonished the Regional Police Command to ensure arrested culprits are prosecuted and not released in order to serve as a deterrent to others as one of many measures to curb the menace.