By Ephraim Modi D.S
Central Equatoria State’s government pronounced that the fuming issues of logging in Kajo-keji has been stopped following directives from the state authorities.
The state minister of Finance, Planning and Investment, Wani Tom made the pronouncement to the press yesterday.
The minister stated that, steps taken to end trees cutting in Kajo-keji have worked well; and the state government now promised to fully prohibit logging in the Kajo-Keji County.
“There were committees that went to the ground and have gone into details about the loggers and about all the tress that has been cut down there, the report has been brought and we all agreed that there is going a committee to be formed to come up with accurate report of which we shall give you but the committee will also find information related to those logs that have fallen down there,” minister Wani.
During the state press conference, the minister revealed that the committee which was formed to look into the matter of logging came with full report about the loggers in the area.
He said that state authority called on the loggers to immediately stop cutting of the forest.
Responding to a question asked about penalties to be given to the loggers in case they are found in the area, the minister said government will confiscate all the machines.
“The logs that are down there going to be tasked to those who have cut them to collect them to the center and from the center a decision will be taken. The state government is now very serious about anybody who is logging and directives have been given totally for them to stop the logging in the area and I believe now there no people in the bushes who are still logging this tress,” he said.
According to the state minister, confiscating loggers’ machines would end trees felling.
Meanwhile, the Acting Chairperson of the Kajo-keji Association of Youths, Kenyi Henry refutes reports of the state government that the logging has stopped in Kajo-keji.
Kenyi was speaking in a telephone interview with No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper. He said that the only decision taken by state parliament was to arrest the machines of loggers, adding that logging is ongoing.
He said that as an eye witness on the ground, he doesn’t see that it has been implemented.
“Yes, I don’t know the truth; but in reality, logging is there that is what I can just say because some of those things you see them with your eyes,” he stated.