Director-General of agriculture in Torit Aliardo Paul is warning citizens against practicing illegal cutting of trees in the community.
He through Radio Emmanuel cautioned that people who carryout illegal logging will be punished according to the laws of South Sudan.
‘Illegal logging is forbidden by law if at all they want to legalize log, they should come to the ministry and take permission. The ministry will give the number of trees that are to be logged then we have the modules that say cut one plant five. But if people go and log without permission it is illegal and punishable by law’, Paul explaines.
The Director-General disclosed that six people were arrested over illegal logging although there are still ongoing cases of illegal cutting of trees in Ayaci.
‘As I speak to you now I think six people have been apprehended actually in the last two weeks, five of them are Ugandans and one is South Sudanese. We have report from Ayaci still we have given order for these people to be arrested’, he notes.
Director Paul appeals for recruitment of forest guards to monitor illegal logging closely in the forests.
‘We need cooperation between the community and government in order to strengthen forestry laws. The government has to recruit forest to confront illegal logging. We have forest rangers they are moving throughout the forest looking for illegal practice as soon as they notice one they apprehend them immediately. he pleaded.
The Speaker made the remarks to Radio Emmanuel on Monday in Torit.