Illegal Logger Dupes Villagers

Authorities of the Southwest Regional Brigade of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) intercepted an illegal logger transporting over 1400 pieces of sawn Zingana (Microbelinia bisulcata)

By Asa’a Lemawah

The illegal timber exploiter whose only name The Green got as Tsafack was Douala-bound with his booty. He possessed neither authorization nor exploitation permit. 

Chief Ngoh James of Dikome Balondo village, where Tsafack reportedly carried out his illicit exploits, said the Forestry Chief of Post of the area had presented Tsafack to the community.

According to Chief Ngoh, the villagers accepted without any reservation since the exploiter was in the presence of a government official, and the species that interested the logger was considered a hindrance to the growth of their crops.

Ngoh said the official reportedly advised the villagers not collect money in exchange of the trees but rather ask the exploiter to reward them with a developmental project.

The Chief said the villagers entered a verbal agreement with the exploiter to saw 10.000 pieces of logs and in return construct a modern community hall consisting of two bedrooms, a conference hall and two modern toilets.

Tsafack reportedly reneged on his promise but exploited and transported two trucks of timber twice. On the third occasion, the villagers intercepted the truck loaded with Zingana. Left with no choice, the villagers and Tsafack transformed the verbal agreement into a written agreement. However, a MINFOF Brigade team on patrol in the area intercepted a pile of over 1.400 sawn pieces of Zingana pending transportation to Douala.

The MINFOF team reportedly confiscated the sawn logs and reported the matter to the Regional office which prompted the detention of the illegal exploiter. 

Tsafack was fined 2 million francs cfa to be paid before his release. Nonetheless, the villagers still interrupted the confiscation and auction of the logs by MINFOF authorities. They argued that the logs could not be auctioned because Tsafack had backpedaled on his agreement with the community. 

The Regional Delegate of Forestry, Ebai Samuel, summoned a conflict resolution meeting with the community and in the presence of the Divisional Officer of Bamusso, Ndille Joseph, and community members, the conflict was thrashed.

The D.O blamed the community for going into agreement without his consent. He said the community had sidelined him as the chief administrator of the area thereby allowing illegal exploiters into the community.

Ndille urged the villagers to always direct strangers who want to work in the community to him.

He emphasized that villagers have privileges and not rights to allow persons to exploit the forest without informing government authorities.

He bemoaned the fact that the exploiter had duped the villagers. 

Meanwhile, the Regional Delegate said the wood had to be auctioned and the money paid into government coffers; 50% of the logs would be handed to the community to sell and use the money to complete the hall while 50% would be auctioned and the money paid into government treasury, said Ebai.

Zingana or Zebrawood is found within the lowland forest of Mt. Cameroon. The species is threatened with extinction as illegal exploiters haul logs out of the forest every day. It is critically endangered and endemic to the Mt. Cameroon mountain area.

The South West Regional Brigade of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with ERuDeF has been working hard to stop the felling of these trees through the introduction of anti-logging patrols supported by the UK Charity Fauna and Flora’s Global Tree Campaign project.