Sunyani (B/A), June 25, GNA - The re-constituted Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) was on Wednesday inaugurated in fulfilment of the Local Government Act 462 of 1993. The Council is made up of the regional minister and his deputy, municipal/district chief executives and presiding members, president and vice president of the Regional House of Chiefs, as well as heads of decentralized ministries as members but without voting rights. Justice Emmanuel Ato Assan, a Sunyani high court judge took the members through the oath of allegiance, official oath and oath of secrecy.

In his address, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister and chairman of the RCC, told members of the Council that the role of the RCC was to facilitate coordination, monitoring, and supervision of the assemblies, as well as provid e a forum for representatives from local authorities and chiefs.

"However the RCC performs several other functions which are not captured in the legislation, most significant among them being protocol functions involving the hosting of dignitaries and celebration of national and regional events", he added.

Mr. Marfo observed that in spite of the extensive responsibilities assigned to the RCC, the regulatory environment "neither recognizes the region as a decision making body within the local government structure, nor provides the RCC with the means of enforcement and the sanctions necessary to ensure the districts' compliance with central government policies and programmes".

He suggested that the functions of the RCC be looked at as a matter of urgency to ensure that its supervisory role was strengthened to include the application of sanctions against non-performing and errant assemblies.

On the activities of illegal chainsaw operators, the Regional Minister noted that it was one of the biggest problems threatening the lives of Ghanaians especially those residing in rural areas. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO}, Ghana's total forest cover declined from an area of 7.5 million to 6.3 million hectares between 1900 and 2000, Mr. Marfo disclosed. "This translates to a loss of 120,000 hectares annually or a 1.7 per cent rate of deforestation per year," he said, adding that recent data suggests that within the past five years, there had been an acceleration in the rate of forest loss in the country, with the current rate of deforestation now estimated at 3 per cent per year. The situation, Mr. Marfo said had been attributed to the uncontrolled exploitation of forest resources including the clearing of trees for agricultural expansion, logging for timber, wood-fuel and related industrial activities among others.

He urged municipal and district assemblies to rigidly enforce national laws and bye-laws that prohibit the activities of chainsaw operators and other acts that degrade the forests. Mr. Marfo noted that Brong-Ahafo would attain its 50th anniversary this year, and that he had constituted a committee to plan and implement activities to commemorate the anniversary.

The theme chosen for the celebration is "Brong-Ahafo @ 50: achievements, challenges and prospects".

The regional minister expressed concern about the incidence of robbery recorded in some communities and on highways notably on the Techiman-Tamale, Wenchi-Wa, Ejura-Yeji, Atebubu-Kojokrom and Sunyani-Kumasi trunk roads.

"Please let us resolve here and now that we shall make life unbearable for these miscreants by resourcing the security agencies to fight and ward them off our communities and highways", he stressed. Mr. Marfo commended the security services for their role in ensuring the prevalence of peace and tranquillity in the region.