6 Personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and Forestry Commission have arrested six suspects at Desire Forest Reserve in the Mankranso Forest District in the Ashanti Region for allegedly clearing the forest to undertake cocoa farming.
The suspects are Benjamin Sarpong, 51; Matthew Kakraba, 39; Odonkor Nartey, 32; Emmanuel Meghenu, 63 and Zuberiyeri Kakraba, 39 – all natives of Subriso and Camp 2 in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The forest shares boundaries with Asutifi South, Atwuma Mponua and Ahafo Ano South districts.
DAILY GUIDE’s investigations revealed that the farmers entered the Desire Forestry Reserve and cleared a portion of the land to cultivate cocoa without authorization.
The security team entered the reserve in the night to arrest the six suspects for allegedly violating the law.
Last Monday, the accused persons were taken into prison custody to reappear on April 1.
Speaking at a press conference, the manager of the forest – Palmer Akins Amponsah – stated that the suspects destroyed almost all trees planted during the erstwhile Kufuor administration.
He further stated that severe punishment of the suspects would serve as a deterrent to other indigenes.
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