Members of the Forest Reserve Fringe Communities have given the Forestry Commission and authorities till August to settle all outstanding payments due them.
The Commission is yet to pay royalties for harvested timber on the reserve’s plantation.
According to the members, should the Commission fail to pay within the stipulated time they would advise themselves accordingly on their next action.
This was contained in a press release read by Zikpitor Rawlings Blekimah, chairman of the group who said the Commission has failed to pay them their due for the past 13 years, making life unbearable for them.
Zikpitor noted that the forestry commission is instead paying penalties to some chiefs in the communities instead of paying royalties to the members.
“Our children cannot go the universities or any tertiary institutions and still living at home due to financial problems whilst the Forestry Commission is paying penalties to some chiefs in the community leaving the royalties,” Zikpitor Rawlings lamented.
Zikpitor sent a strong warning to the Commission to make sure no tree is cut in the forest by any contractor because they cannot guarantee the safety of the said contractor until their monies are paid.
“This is a warning to the Forestry Commission that no tree should be cut in the forest reserve and moreover, no tree which has been cut down in the forest reserve should be taken away until the Forestry Commission pays us our monies“ Zikpitor Rawlings Blekumah warned.
Mr. Samuel Deh who is the Executive Director for Greenglobe Ghana and also Advocacy Action for Royalties to Forest Fringe Communities in the Volta Region also expressed his displeasure in the actions taken against the Forest Fringe Reserve Communities by the Forestry Commission in the Volta Region and noted that the affected members have been in difficulties for years due to the inability of the Commission to pay their monies.
The communities are Abutia Hills forest reserve, Dayi Block forest reserve, Kabakaba hills , Klemu headwaters, and West Dayi block forest reserve.
