Accra, March 27, GNA - The Forestry Commission has dismissed three Management staff and eight Field staff for aiding and abetting illegal timber operators.

A release issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Commission gave their names as Nelson Amelordzi and John Assabil, District Managers for Nkawie and Cape Coast operations and Okyere Marfo, customer service officer.

It said the employees were implicated in investigations ordered by the Management of the Forest Services Division into illegal activities in its Nkawie and Cape Coast operations of the Forest Service Division. The Field Staff are Mr Effah Annor, Mr Phillip Owusu Amoah, Mr Emmanuel Adams, Mr Jojo Stokes, Mr Samuel Tseganu and Mr Owusu Amoah, all Range Supervisors and Yaw Okyere, Forest Guard.

The Forest Commission said the Board of Commissioners had set up a team to investigate the extent of some companies' involvement in the illegal operations. "If found culpable, the appropriate sanctions will be taken against them", the statement said.