The General Manager of Ayum Timber Company in Mim, Ahafo Region, Simon Kwame Amoako, has raised alarm over the devastating impact of illegal logging on the company’s operations, warning that production is dwindling as raw materials become scarce.
Speaking during a working visit by the Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Amoako revealed that the company’s workforce has shrunk from 2,400 to just 800 employees as a result of depleted forest reserves.
“Illegal logging on about 40,000 acres of land has destroyed the forest reserves that feed our company. This was once a vibrant company, but now it’s gradually collapsing,” he lamented in an interview with Adom News.
He appealed to the government to take decisive action against illegal logging and to prioritise afforestation programmes to restore the depleted forests and sustain jobs for the youth.
Responding to his concerns, Ahafo Regional Minister Charity Gardiner assured that she would engage the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to explore ways of revamping the destroyed forest reserves.
“For a single company to employ over 800 people is commendable, and we cannot afford to let it collapse. I will work closely with relevant authorities to support the company and reduce unemployment in the region,” she pledged.
Ayum Timber Company, once a major employer in the region, now faces an uncertain future unless urgent measures are taken to restore its raw material supply.
Source: Sammy Asare
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