Jasikan (V/R), Sept. 30, GNA - Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin, Okyehene on Thursday said all statutory policies and by-laws, irrespective of their political, social or economic implications, should be enforced to the letter.

"An illegality is an illegality", and must not be condoned for any parochial interest.

The Okyehene, also the Chairman of the Forest Plantation Fund Board was speaking at a courtesy call on Nana Akpandja IV, Paramount Chief of the Buem Traditional Area at Jasikan, as part of his inspection tour of some plantations in the Volta Region.

He said the wanton destruction of the forest and its dire circumstances on the environment and society knew no political colour and urged chiefs and politicians to unite and fight the common canker. Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin said chiefs, who controlled 36,000 out of the 48,000 settlements in the country were not limited by voting and should maintain environmental sustainability, conservation and protection of the biodiversity of the country.

He called on Chiefs to bequeath to posterity a positive resume, which would safeguard the future of the teeming youth.

"The Chieftaincy institution would have failed in its duties, if the environment was not secured for them", the Okyehene said. Nana Akpandja responding commended the Okyehene for his resolve to assist to create the necessary awareness on environmental issues and pledged his support.

He reverberated that, activities of illegal chain saw operators and others, which degrade the environment, should be reported and such recalcitrant misfits punished.

Mr Solomon Kwame Donkoh, Jasikan District Chief Executive said the part of district's poverty alleviation fund had been allocated to plantation farmers to develop and increase their plantations. He pledged to personally increase his teak plantation to 20,000 acres this year, after planting 10,000 acres last year. 30 Sept. 05