GONJALAND IS GRADUALLY BECOMING A DESERT-A CONCERN YOUTH FUMES

GONJALAND IS  GRADUALLY BECOMING A DESERT-A CONCERN YOUTH FUMES

A concerned youth of Damongo and deputy communication director of the opposition NDC Zion Abdul Rauf  has lamented the extent to which gonjaland is fast losing its once upon a time fertile lands and forest.

Commenting on the issue of rosewood and charcoal burning,he asserted that although several bans have been imposed on the two activities, not much has been done to really clamp down on perpetrators of these activities.
He lay the blame squarely on the faces of chiefs,opinion leaders and the assembly for not putting their foot down and doing what they are supposed to do but always deceiving the public that they are fighting the menace when in actual case they are encouraging same.

Find below the full Statement as posted on Damongo Youth Parliament WhatsApp group.

Growing up in this community, I saw many of us climbing the educational ladder through the support of peasant farming which was the main occupation of our forefathers passed on to our fathers. My late father popularly called A.P.C was a peasant farmer. My late Mother, Mariama was also into sheanuts and dawadawa production. My late grandfather, Atuto Akati a.k.a Akass was herbalist, something he inherited from his late dad Akpampo Lange.

People from all walks of life across Ghana were always in our family house at Langbonto to seek for medications. I saw people being treated from all kinds of diseases. My grandfather used nothing apart from herbs to cure all manner of diseases. He made use of the lankprang,the kawuba,etc trees to save the lives of many.
All these trees are gone as a result of charcoal burning.

On daily basis,I can count not less than 60 articulator tracks leaving my community loaded with charcoal. Go into the bushes of Damongo and see the artificial mountains with smoke forcing its way out. People migrate from different parts of Ghana to Damongo not to come and farm but to destroy our forests. They are done with the big trees and now depending on garden sticks to make charcoal.

The land that was used for food production is gradually becoming a desert. What is the crime of the people of Damongo? Is it that laws don't work here or what is the problem?

Our chiefs and opinion leaders will continue to deceive us that it is as a result of chieftaincy issues that causes the seeming drought. I can't forget, back in our days at Jakpa J.H.S my agriculture tutor in the name of Mr Jawula Salisu of blessed memory, taught me that felling of trees can lead to draught.
Our chiefs will continue to deceive us by killing fowls and goats to pacify the gods for rainfall but that will never materialize until we sack this people who think it is only through charcoal burning that they can survive.

The most annoying aspect of the whole thing is that,there is no year you will not hear the West Gonja District Assembly placing a ban on this menace. The moment you hear there is a ban on charcoal burning, that will even bring this people more into the community. And this canker is not limited to West Gonja District; Central Gonja District in the Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency, North Gonja District, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District etc. are not left out. I will therefore appeal to the the government of the day to as a matter of urgency place a permanent ban on charcoal burning like they are singing the hymn of stopping galamsey elsewhere. The Gonja Traditional Council, the Gonjaland Youth Association, our respected chiefs, the media especially the few ones in Gonjaland should help stop this menace in gonjaland.

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