The new King and Overlord of Gonja, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jawu Soale (I) has said that he will in consultation with the elders and the sons of the Gonja Kingdom give categorical commitment of his Kingdom to re-activate the ban on commercial charcoal burning and the harvesting of other commercial trees including rosewood.

The speech of the Yagbonwura at his Outdooring on March 21, 2023, read by his Spokesperson Benkrowura Seidu Saaka Bakari, said the Yagbonwura and his Council of Elders and the sons of the Gonja Kingdom will prescribe severe punishment for whoever flout its decision in this matter.

The Yagbonwura stated, “Gonjaland is the home of the biggest Game Reserve in Ghana if not the whole of West Africa. It had until a couple of years ago the highest concentration of the Shea nut tree in Ghana, if not the whole of West Africa”.

The Overlord of Honja futuer said that other commercial trees such as the dawadawa, kapok, rosewood, etc. which could be found in almost every part in the Kingdom and exploited by our women folk for their livelihood, are now a rare in sight.

The Yagbonwura stated, “indiscriminate felling of trees by commercial charcoal burners and harvesting of rosewood has put our environment in a situation that this Kingdom will no longer tolerate”.