General News of Saturday, 7 September 2019

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

It's wicked to burn impounded Rosewood when our schools lack furniture - Dr. Apaak

Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has said the decision by the Forestry Commission to burn impounded rosewood is wicked considering the fact that we have schools that lack access to furniture.

He has therefore appealed to the authorities to abandon the consideration of burning impounded rosewood and rather use it to make furniture for schools.

The CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie had told Evans Mensah on Joy News that they are considering giving the impounded rosewood to schools as well.

Dr. Apaak believes it would be laudable for the Commission to rescind its decision to burn the impounded rosewood and go the better option of producing furniture out of them for schools.

“Sir John, burning the impounded rosewood as he says he would do is wicked. Let it be used to make furniture for our schools. Several carpenters are standing by to offer thier services in this regard! The wood is ours afterall!” He noted.

He was reacting to what he has termed as the unprecedented scandals recorded under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo including the recent expose on illegal rosewood trade, which he has petitioned the Office of Special Prosecutor to investigate.

According to him, he is finding it difficult to wrap his heard around reasons why we have witnessed these scandals under the NPP administration.

“But even in my struggle to keep pace with the one day one fraud ( 1D1F), I wish to alert you that any decision to burn impounded rosewood is YET another act of fraud, and a professional scheme to hoodwink Ghanaians.”

Rosewood Diaries – Folks, I’ve lots to expose on the illegal rosewood trade with regards to the feeble attempt by the NADAA government to cover up by setting up a clearing committee via the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the pitiful effort by Sir John, the Commissioner of Forestry, to use me as a conduit to divert attention!

However, I will hold on for now: the scandals, frauds and acts of corruption under the NADAA government are too many and have caused an unprecedented jam in my brain!

But even in my struggle to keep pace with the one day one fraud ( 1D1F), I wish to alert you that any decision to burn impounded rosewood is YET another act of fraud, and a professional scheme to hoodwink Ghanaians.

If the beneficiaries of the illegal rosewood trade are now afraid, because of the global attention on them largely due to the EIA report and can’t export the loot, the best I suggest they do is to publicly give the logs to Ghanaian carpenters to make furniture for our schools.

My constituency of Builsa South, which is one of the most affected by the criminal illegally of harvesting and export of rosewood has a furniture defecit of over 3k according to the District Director of Education.

after all, burning the impounded rosewood as he says he would do is wicked. Let it be used to make furniture for our schools. Several carpenters are standing by to offer thier services in this regard! The wood is ours afterall!

I remain a citizen.

Dr. Clement Abasinaab Apaak

M.P, Builsa South