Akyem Oda MP Condemns Timber Market Traders And Forestry Commission Staff Clashes; Calls For Truce

The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda and Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has called for an end to the conflict between the Timber Market Traders and the Forestry Commission Staff, urging them to embrace peace.

According to the lawmaker, he has referred the case to Hon. Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, for intervention to resolve the matter.

He has therefore urged both parties to embrace peace, while the sector minister also pledged to do everything in his power to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

It ought to be recalled that there was tension in Akim Oda in the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region following a clash between workers at the Akim Oda Timber Market and Forestry Commission personnel on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

The clash, Daily Searchlight understands, occurred as a result of the death of a timber trader identified as Ashabee, which heightened tensions in the area.

In accordance with the report, the Akyem Oda timber merchants suspected their coworker was actually killed by Akyem Oda Forestry Commission personnel in a crash at Akyem Oda Nkwanta.

The Kia drivers, traders, and timber merchants took the matter into their own hands, vandalising the Oda Forestry Commission office.

The incident has resulted in the Forestry Commission’s office being closed for the safety of the staff.

Meanwhile, Madam Cynthia Okaine, the manager of the Akyem Oda Forestry Commission, refuted claims that the deceased man’s death was caused by an impact from a forestry car.

She mentioned that the dead man was slain by an automobile owned by his (deceased) own people.

However, the MP believes regardless of what the issue is, it has already occurred; thus, the most significant task is to ensure that the dispute between the timber merchants and Forestry Commission staff is addressed.

Speaking to the media following his meeting with the Wood Sellers Association at the Akyem Oda timber market regarding the incident, Mr. Alexander Akwasi Acquah emphasised that no conflict can be resolved through the use of lethal or non-lethal force and that excessive anger has no place in dispute resolution.

 

“Let’s allow cool heads to prevail. My deepest condolences to the families of the deceased person,” he said.

He stated that the majority of wood traders do their jobs correctly, but we commonly refer to their work as illegal, thus explaining why forestry personnel are constantly targeting them.

He appealed to the security agencies operating in the area to bring all guilty parties to book as a way of demonstrating that all are equal before the law.

 

 

The lawmaker was accompanied by Joyce Adjoa Agyeiwaa, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Birim Central Assembly, as well as some New Patriotic Party constituency executives.

 

 

 

Mr. Emmanuel Abbey, Chairman of the Wood Sellers Association, also thanked the MP for working tirelessly to ensure that the issue has been dealt with.

He stated that the manager of the Akyem Oda forestry commission had invited him to come over to discuss the manner in which both parties could work in harmony in the municipality.

He vowed to make sure that his members would remain calm and would not attack the forestry staff yet again.

 

 

 

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