Authorities in South Sudan’s Yei River state on Tuesday issued local orders banning the logging of timber in the state.

Yei state agriculture and forestry minister Kenyi Abiyaza John told Radio Tamazuj that the order follows an alarming depletion of natural and man-made tree cover in the state.

“In accordance with the current rapid rate of forest deforestation and its effects on the global warming in the region, I honorable Kenyi Abiyaza John issued this order banning forest logging in Yei River State. All permission letters issued to individuals or timber companies are deemed canceled,” he announced.

According to the directive, any person caught contravening the order shall be arrested, prosecuted and those found guilty would be slapped with fines.

“All county and security apparatus and the communities are to enforce this order and anyone found violating the order will be fined 1,000,000 South Sudanese pounds only,” he added.

However, the Managing Director for Gambo and Sons Timber Company Alfred Ayume, protested the order, saying it is contradicting operation licenses issued by the national government.

“I am not happy with the orders issued by the state government. The minister would have called and discussed with us before issuing an order because we have been paying money to the state revenue authority and the national government what does the government want us to do?"

Ayume mentioned that they do not harvest logs from government reserves but instead buy from the communities. And in return, he claims, the companies construct schools, water points and grinding mills for the communities.