Savannah Regional Security Council (SREGSEC) headed by Saeed Muhazu Jebreel has described as unfortunate the one-month window given to loggers of rosewood by the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs.

The Council through its five-member Committee led by Bolewura Kutuge Feso I, directed SREGSEC to return to the forest in the Region and convey their already cut logs.

In an emergency meeting on Thursday, sources disclosed that the council's ban on illegal logging, commercial charcoal production and illegal small scale mining among others are still in place.

In April this year, SREGSEC in soliciting the views and supports of the landowners, brought together Membership of the Gonja Traditional Council and the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs in a consultative forum for a permanent solution aimed at banning all forms of environmental degradation, especially logging and commercial charcoal production in the Region.

The Committee, among other things, was to ensure that the ban on illegal logging, charcoal burning, illegal small-scale mining and fuelwood harvesting are permanently adhered to.

Two taskforces, Regional and District were set up and the regional Savannah Regional Police Commander, DCOP, Enock Adeetwum Bediako to spearhead the success of the ban.

But barely a month after the ban was imposed, the committee on July 5, 2021, issued a press statement at Bole announcing a one month window for already cut logs in the system to be conveyed starting from 12th July and end on 12th August 2021.

The said window, if successful, will allow loggers to purchase a form of One Thousand cedis (Ghc1,000.0) each and another Five Thousand cedis per truck of logs to the specific paramountcy where the logs would be loaded and taken outside the region.

This, however, met stiff opposition from various groupings in the region, especially, the Youth, hence REGSEC's quick response to annul the move by the Committee.

Meanwhile, JoyNews' sources also indicated that, as part of several measures by the Council to ensure peace prevails in the region, particularly among youth who have vowed to resist any movement of logs outside the region, has tasked 8 regional officers to meet with the youth and resolve their grievances.

The 8 regional officers include the regional Immigration Officer, the Regional Commander of Ghana National Fire Service, and the Regional Police Commander.

The rest are, the Regional Commander of the 34 infantry Regiment, the Regional and Municipal Crime Officers and the Regional Police Public Relations Officer including the National Investigation Bureau Officer.

The said meeting which was held on Friday between the two groups, Youth and the head of security agencies at the Savannah regional police headquarters, ended successfully.

However, it remains to be seen whether the committee will back down on their decision.