Adrobaa (B/A) Jan. 30, GNA – Some youths engaged under the National Forest Plantation Programme at Adrobaa in Tano North District of Brong-Ahafo last Thursday allegedly assaulted two officials of the Forestry Service Division (FSD) stationed at Bechem in Tano South District.

Mrs. Louisa Yeboah and Mr. Frederick Frimpong, Range Officers, had gone to the area to supervise the programme when they were attacked.

The timely intervention by some elders of the Adrobaa Traditional Council saved the officers from being lynched.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the action of the irate youth numbering more than 30 was to register their displeasure with the delay in payment of their allowances.

It is alleged that for the past five months that the Youths were engaged in the programme they had not received any allowance from the FSD.

The assaulted forestry officials told the GNA in an interview at the weekend on January 26, this year, they went to Adrobaa on a routine task to supervise the programme.

“When we reached Adrobaa, some irate youths wielding cutlasses and stones as well as other offensive instruments, surrounded our vehicle and said that they would not allow us to move unless we pay them their monies”, Mrs. Yeboah narrated.

Shouting on top of their voices, the Youths issued death threats to us and this attracted the attention of some elders of the town who came to our rescue, she added.

Mr. George Agbenowoshi, Tano South Assistant District Manager of the FSD, later told the GNA that the FSD sourced out the programme to ZOIL Company, which engaged the Youths to cultivate 400 hectares of oframo, teak, cedrella and mahogany seedlings last year.

It is the responsibility of ZOIL to pay for the services of the Youths not the FSD, he added.

Mr. Agbenowoshi said the assault on the two officials was very unfortunate, adding, the FSD had officially reported the matter to the Police.

He said the District had an oversight responsibility at both Tano North and some parts of Asutifi districts under the programme, aimed at reviving the depleted forest as well as protecting the forest reserves.

The Assistant District Manager advised management of ZOIL to facilitate all payments and arrears they owed the Youths to ensure the successful implementation of the programme.

Mr. Agbenowoshi said about 300 hectares of seedlings were expected to be cultivated in the three districts this year and appealed to the Youths engaged for the plantation to cooperate with officials of the FSD.

GNA