How a Timber Contractor is Destroying People’s Farms with Impunity at Sefwi Suiano

Information gathered by ghananewsonline.com.gh indicates that a faceless timber contractor has stormed the township of Sefwi Suiano in the Bodi constituency of the Western North Region, felling trees in peoples farms and destroying their farms in the process but pays no compensation to victims, let alone pay compensation to them.

According to our information the faceless contractor believed to be based at the regional capital Sefwi Waiwso, is reported to be the bragging that he is untouchable because he has the authority from above to embark upon that obnoxious exercise.

His despicable able act, we gathered, has sent many wailing in helplessness, while landing others in hospital from shock of the destruction of their farms by this marauding timber contractor.

Our information has it further that the marauding contractor does not only go on the rampage but also goes berserk in his destructive mission as he enters peoples farms unawares mostly at night with impunity fells trees and constructs roads through his victims’ farm to can’t his booty. That he also blocks river bodies including river Sui The main drinking river for the people and in the face of all these, not even sorry is rendered his victims, let alone paying them compensation. This is because, he has the authority from above to carry out that despicable mission.

We have gathered further the faceless contractors latest victim at Suiano has been 80year old Maame Elizabeth Nkrumah aka Yaa Nkrumah whose cocoa farm has suffered massive destruction from the contractors exploits

All efforts to get the name of the contractor from his representatives on the field have proved futile, since they are reluctant in giving out their boss name.

Arrogance

However when through strainous efforts he was contacted on his number 059782799, and we demanded his contract name, he stated that, that was not necessary.

He claimed that he had all the necessary documents and authority to carry out his duty in the concession which he had dully and authoritatively acquired from the required sources.

Asked if people’s cocoa farms constituted his concession he answered that it was not necessary either. Asked he answered that if he consulted owners of the farms before felling these trees he stated that it was not equally important and that all that mattered was for him to fell the trees from his acquired concession. According to him, most of the farms he entered to fell trees had had their cocoa trees dead.

On his latest victims (Madam Yaa Nkrumah’s) issue he alleged to have seen his victim who told him the amount she wanted, Madam Nkrumah we gathered, had never been approached by the marauding contractor before the tree in her farm was felled, let alone telling him of any amount. “That is a lie!” She exclaimed.

The arrogant contracted claimed that he was going to pay his victims.

However, our checks showed that those so-called payments were in respect of roads he had constructed through their farms and not in respect of the trees he had felled because he has the authority to fell trees in his dully acquired concession, (Which wrongfully happens to be people’s Cocoa and food crops farms)

Meanwhile, our checks further showed that his so called compensation ranged from GH¢ 100.00 through GH¢ 200.00 – GH¢ 700.00with the GH¢ 700.00 being the highest and even that went to only one individual

By S.O. Ankamah, Sefwi Juaboso WNR