By Erica Apeatua Addo
Samreboi (W/R), Aug. 17, GNA-Activities of illegal miners in many forest reserves across the country continue to threaten the operations of Samatex Timber and Plywood Company Limited in Samreboi in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
Thes miners have also invaded concessions under Samartex Tano Nimre, compartment 161, Fure River and Nueng South Forest reserves.
Speaking at a news conference in Samreboi, Mr Mark Ofori Asante, General Secretary of Timber Workers Union (TWU) said, they would not allow people with selfish interest to destroy their natural resource, and all the direct and indirect benefits they gain from it.
He said for the past 25 years, the company maintained over 200 km road network, which was plied by a population of over 500,000, adding that, Samartex also constructed roads, shaped and gravelled roads and regularly maintained roads and bridges.
According to Mr Asante, after the cocoa roads project was suspended, the company maintained the roads for about five years.
This, he said, came at an annual cost of over GHS 1million, and stressed that, without the works carried out on the roads, homes, farms, and health facilities would have been inaccessible to the citizens.
The Secretary pointed out that “Ghana Water Company Limited do does not have supply line in Samreboi, provision of water to most parts of the community was the sole responsibility of the company.
“Annually the company spends over GHS 40,000.00 to treat 3600m3 of water. However, the excessive illegal mining activities in the Tano River, has tripled the cost of treatment of the water and extra expenditure in sinking bore holes”.
The company which provides employment for more than 2,500 persons, was one of the few surviving wood processing industries in the country and has often been used and still being visited by most educational institutions, researchers, exchange students and others in the business as case study for best practices and sustainability, he indicated.
In addition, Mr Asante said the company was a training ground for engineers and skilled personnel through their fee-free NVTI certified apprenticeship training programme has helped a lot of less privileged youth from the Western Region to become lathe turners, mechanical, electrical and auto-engineers, adding, the company also runs a non-fee-paying school for children of community members and workers.
Mr Asante said the company had a hospital that catered for about 4000 patients monthly coming from over 50 communities within the Western and Western North Regions.
“Discussions with management of the company point to the fact that, once the resource was being destroyed, the company was sitting on a time bomb and feared the worst” Mr Asante explained.
He entreated all stakeholders to unite and combat this menace orchestrated by a few individuals with selfish interest, claiming they had legal permit to mine in forest reserves.
Mr Asante appealed to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene and take immediate action as Samartex cannot be a certified company if such activities were not halted.
GNA