Trucks used for transporting illegal timber from Embe Forest Reserve detained at a Police station in Maridi. [Gurtong| Petia Suliman Loro]
Petia Suliman Loro
MARIDI, 12 August 2012 [Gurtong] – In 2010, the state government issued an order banning all illegal cutting of the trees in Maridi County, but the order has been violated with officials approving the cutting of the trees using forged documents.
Different companies are involved in the trading of the two species of trees in the county.
Bakasoro said that those found to have violated the order will be penalized in accordance with the law.
The governor was addressing county administrators including Members of Parliament, Counselors, Chiefs, Heads of Departments, Security Committee, Youth and Women at the headquarters.
The trucks used by the illegal traders to transport the timber from the reserve have been detained by the police awaiting investigations.
The Governor cautioned the people of Maridi County to focus on agriculture as the country struggles on the austerity budget.
He urged the residents to avoid tribalism and use the available land to demarcate and invest o as development can be realised in the state.
Maridi County is one of the historic places in South Sudan the since the liberation struggle, however, its growth potential has been overshadowed by tribalism and frequent changes in top administration.