RESPONSE TO A VIDEO PORTRAYING TREE CUTING AND DEVASTATION IN THE KOME AREA OF ANLO

 

In the second week of November 2021, a video went viral giving the impression that the people of Alakple and Atito in the Kome area of Anlo have been destroying trees planted by government in our area. This video is coming at a time that the world is focused on climate change at the COP26 in Glasgow UK and where tree planting and forestation are key issues of the conference. 

It is important to note that tree planting in the Kome area of Anlo started in about the year 2000, as a self help project and not by Government. This project was spearheaded by the NGO called RUSO formed by the former Member of Parliament Hon. Clement Kofi Humado and family at Alakple. A Cassia seedling nursery was established in his residence at Alakple and managed by a Peace Corps volunteer called Pamela. Volunteer youth from Alakple and Latame were recruited to plant seedlings in the Kome towns and along the main road from Alakple to Kome Junction. Later individuals came from surrounding communities of Kodzi, Deta, Tregui, Adzato and Trekume to collect seedlings from the nursery free of charge for planting in their home towns. Within a short time, the cassia plant spread in all Kome and Shime communities. Strict bye laws were put in place against cutting of trees in the Kome area. The only exceptions were by the Electricity Company of Ghana who had to trim or remove trees that were going to disturb their power lines. It is also noted that the late Squadron Leader Sowu earlier planted trees from Kome junction towards Salo and Savietula. Presently, thousands of cassia trees cover the Kome area of Anlo and lining the main road thus providing a delight for Kome citizens and visitors. 

Just like any society where there are recalcitrant members of the community, it was noticed in about the second week of November 2021, that twelve seedlings growing into young trees were cut by unknown persons at the Genui junction of the Kome area.  Investigations started immediately by the Assembly members and the youth. About the same time an individual naming himself as a citizen vigilante who did not come from the area but came for a funeral in Kome and was on his way home took videos of these twelve trees that were cut along the road side for which the Assembly members had already started their investigations. His release which went viral, gave the impression of an on-going devastation of trees in the Kome area. To be clear, even the cutting of one tree in the Kome area is bad enough much more twelve seedlings. Initial investigations suggested that taxi drivers from Anloga who ply the road complained of trees in that particular curve of the road as blurring their vision of on-coming vehicles emerging from the curve. However nobody owned up as the culprits who cut the trees. Investigations are still ongoing to apprehend the culprits and bring them to book.

The Chiefs and people wish to assure everybody that the Kome area is noted for its long years of self help tree planting and shall not deviate from its efforts to establishing a green ecology and green environment for its inhabitants. The Assembly and Unit Committees have strengthened their patrols and monitoring of the area so that any culprit found will be brought to book.

Below is the said amateur video: