PHOTO: Map of the area the timbers being harvested
By Paul M. Kanneh, paulkanneh5@gmail.com
What appears to be illegal large-scale chainsaw timber extraction in Liberia’s Lofa County threatens the Proposed Foya Protected Area that is situated in Western Lofa.
The timber harvest is reportedly being conducted by the Desire Construction Company, a local construction contractor with headquarters in Johnsonville, Montserrado County. Six towns, Kamatahun, Fokolahun, Yengema, Yalahun, Seghbema and Ngombu in Hassala Clan, Wanhassa District are the affected communities of the massive timber extraction.
Uploading truck with emblem of the Desire Construction Company
The chainsaw logging activities began in October 2021, following an early visit to the community by Montserrado County Electoral District # 13 Representative Thomas P. Fallah. During said visit, Representative Fallah, who is also the Chairman of the committee on Ways, Means and Finance of the Lower House of the Liberian Legislature made a cash donation of $5 million Liberian dollars for youth empowerment and renovation of the community school located in Kamatahun town.
Upper Kamatahun Town Chief, Arma Kamara says there is no formal contract between the company and the community. According to him, the company was introduced to them by their son, Amara M. Kamara, who is a senior official of the government, assigned at the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA). Prior to his current portfolio,
Rep. Fallah’s company Kamatahun town
Mr. Kamara worked for Representative Thomas P. Fallah as office staff. Town chiefs Kamara and some residents says the Company provided thirty pieces of solar street lights to the community as a startup benefits for the timber extraction. Additionally, the town chief disclosed that the company will rehabilitate the main stretch of road connecting the affected towns to the rest of the district as part of community benefits.
Section 16 of regulation No. 115-11 of the regulation on Chain Saw Milling in Liberia says: Benefits Sharing shall be coordinated with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance. Under this arrangement, the Authority shall ensure that a sum equal to 30 percent of all stumpage fees collected is distributed to Affected Communities through the National Community Benefit Sharing Trust mechanism.
Iroko, whilsmo, tedra, abura and koshia are among tree species supposedly being harvested by the company.
Amara Kamara, who neither confirmed nor denied reports of introducing Representative Thomas Fallah to his people, divulged that the street lights and road rehabilitation projects are not part of the timbers extraction arrangement as is being reported.
He said the lights were provided through the instrumentality of the sons of Kamatahun who are in government, and that, as sons of the community, they are in negotiation with a construction company working in Foya to do some minor repairs on the community road, noting that, a pitsawing group does not have the ability to rehabilitate roads. “Let me clarify that the street lights project are not benefits for the timbers being harvested; they were procured through the efforts of the sons of Kamatahun who are in government”, But Paul, do you think that a pit-sawing group has the ability to rehabilitate the road leading to Kamatahun?, said Mr. Kamara.
It was, however, observed that that the blue and white colors light poles in Kamatahun town is the same as the blue and white colors light poles installed around the private home and company of Representative Fallah in Johnsonville. Also a follow up in Foya found out that it is the same Desire Construction Company that is paving the Foya city streets, which Mr. Kamara claims he and other sons of Kamatahun have engaged for the rehabilitation of their community road. LFMW, could not, however, establish how Representative Fallah’s home and company and Kamatahun town, where he has been making cash contributions, including US$2000 for 2021 Christmas gift got the same color of solar streets poles amidst reports of his alleged involvement in pit-sawing activities in Kamatahun and its environs.