Military intercepts 24,000 illegal boards in Tamale

A team of military personnel from the 6th Infantry Battalion (6BN) in Tamale have confiscated six  trucks loaded with 4,000 illegal boards each bound for Burkina Faso.

The trucks which were carrying the boards totaling 24,000 were ceased around 13:00 hours Sunday afternoon.

Three of the vehicles bearing Burkina Faso registration numbers while the other three had Ghanaian registration numbers.

Lt Col. James Hagan, Commanding Officer of the 6BN, who led the team, told Journalists in Tamale that the team stopped the vehicles at Yapie in the Central Gonja district and demanded for the documents covering the load.

He said checks revealed that the documents did not include any letter or permit from the Forestry Commission adding, “They only gave me value added tax invoice of GH 230 issued by the Techiman Assembly”.

Lt Col. Hagan said the interception was part of an initiative called “Operation Hot II” launched by the National Security in 2009.

He said it was aimed at curtailing, illegal lumbering, mining and indiscriminate building on water ways.

Lt Col. Hagan said the illegal lumbering deprive the state of taxes and depletes the forest cover of the nation which exposed the country to harsh weather conditions.

He said the trucks would be handed over to the Forestry Commission to the necessary action to be taken.

Source: GNA