Warning over cutting of trees

THE Kokopo municipal authority has warned individuals and business houses not to cut down trees within the city’s vicinity.
Kokopo city manager Freddy Lemeki told The National in Kokopo recently that the authority was concerned over the ongoing cutting down of trees in and around the city.
Lemeki said the Kokopo-Vunamami Urban local level government (KVULLG), along with the authority, had planted the trees to provide shade for the public.
He said any business houses or individuals wanting to cut down trees to make clearance for development purposes had to seek approval from the ENB physical planning board or KVULLG.
“It is no good cutting down trees in the town area as these trees provides shade to the public when they are in town doing their business,” he said.
“I want to warn those people cutting down trees within and around Kokopo to seek approval from the concerned authorities like KVULLG and ENB physical planning board first.
“Don’t just come and cut down trees as legal action will be taken against those who cut down trees without approval.”
While stating his concerns, Lemeki said some locations in the city where the trees once used to provide shade were no longer there as they were being cut such as the trees in front of Anderson Foodland.