The Savannah Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has given commercial charcoal burners and loggers four weeks ultimatum to move out of the region.
Addressing a press conference in Damongo, Savannah Region Minister Muazu Jibreel said anyone caught in the act after the period will be made to face the full rigours of the law.
Activities of commercial charcoal burning and illegal logging has been on an ascendancy in the Savannah Region.
The forest reserves in the Region are fast depleting due to the menace.
Both small and big trees are being cut down by individuals involved in the activity.
Efforts by the Gonja Traditional Council and successive governments through the Municipal and District Chief Executives and other stakeholders to stop the activity has yielded no positive result.
In 2015, the Yagbonwura, Tunrumba Boresa, at a Gonja Traditional Council meeting in Yapei directed that all forms of logging and commercial charcoal burning be banned across the entire Gonjaland.
However, this directive is yet to make any meaningful impact.
Not even the seizure of loaded charcoal trucks and the closure of an alleged logs factory belonging to Hellena Huang could stop the menace.
But there seems to be hope this time as the Savannah Regional Security Council has given a four-week ultimatum to individuals involved in the act to pack out of the region.
Addressing the press conference, Mr Jibreel said not even vehicles loaded with logs or charcoal will be allowed to pass through any part of the Region.
He called on all well-meaning Gonjalanders to be on the alert to report any such incident to the security.
“They have just four weeks to pack their belongings and leave the region. Thirty days from today, if we find anyone doing logging or burning charcoal with or without permit, the law will take its course on them.”
In 2018, some Chinese were arrested by the Forestry Commission at Yipala in the West Gonja Municipality for engaging in illegal Rosewood logging.
By Christopher Amoako|editors.3news.com|Savannah Region|Ghana
