According to the director, in the Forestry Act, it is indicated that every person of the Department of Forestry is entitled to a warrant staff identification card before any arrest, interrogation or interception and even before any confiscation of any suspected illegal forest products.
Based on this, the director of Forestry, Lt. Colonel Salifu Corr identified an IT expert to embark on an exercise which is currently ongoing across all the regions to take details including pictures of the staff for them to be re-issued with a valid staff ID card which would be signed by the director of Forestry.
The Forestry director confirmed the exercise and said it is ongoing and the valid identification warrant cards will be issued to all forestry staff across the country as part of his development agenda. He cited that this will easily help the staff of the Forestry Department to implement their mandates.
He also stated that nobody is above the law and therefore the forestry laws must be respected and must start first with the personnel of the Department of Forestry.
Speaking to the media, the regional forestry officer of West Coast Region (WCR), Sisawo Sabally, talked about the significance of the valid staff cards as forestry personnel, while hailing his superior Lt. Colonel Salifu Corr for his foresight.
Mr. Sabally described the move as a step in the right direction, saying it will motivate and restore confidence in the staff of Forestry to implement their mandate in accordance with the Forestry Act.
“For Forestry staff to have valid warrant ID cards, this will greatly help them to reinforce their mandate against anyone suspect of carrying illegal forest products,” Mr. Sabally stated.
He also challenged all forest users to use the right channel and get the correct documents before entering the forest.
He also expressed firm readiness of the staff of the Department of Forestry in implementing the Forestry Act to the latter without any compromise.
He also advised the staff of Forestry who are riding on department’s motorbikes and vehicles without valid license to desist from the act.
Mr. Sisawo Sabally, a seasoned forester who served the department at various capacities extolled the current director of forestry for transforming the department within a short period of time. “He ushered so much development to the doorstep of the staff and enhanced them with enough mobility to do their work effectively and professionally.”
