Kagelu Residents Decry Lack of Benefits from Teak Forest Harvesting

(KEGULU, YEI RIVER COUNTY)– Residents of Kagelu Village in Otogo Payam, Yei River County, have expressed concern over what they describe as a lack of community benefits from ongoing teak harvesting at the Kagelu Forest Reserve.

Community members say that despite years of large-scale logging operations at the plantation, local residents continue to face challenges accessing basic services such as clean water, healthcare, education and road infrastructure. They report frequent movement of trucks transporting teak poles from the reserve while surrounding communities remain underserved.

Grace Edina Morris, a resident of Yembe Village, told Access Radio that the community has seen little return from the exploitation of the area’s natural resources.

“The teak logging is on going at Kagelu forest reserve, we only hear sounds of machines cutting down trees and see trucks loading and transporting them towards Yei town. There are no health centers or schools provided to us in return by the companies or the government.”

Grace urged the government to hold companies involved in the harvesting accountable by requiring them to implement corporate social responsibility initiatives that benefit local communities.

Another resident, Malish Cosmas, said the community continues to be left behind despite the wealth generated from the forest reserve.

“I feel sorry to tell you that we only had Kegulu Primary school constructed by a local business company before the outbreak of the 2016 conflict and up to date, there is nothing given to us, we have no clean water points, health centers and good road networks here.”

Kenyi John Elisa, a concerned citizen from Yei Town, observed that trucks loaded with teak logs regularly travel from Kagelu through Yei and onward to Juba.

“The community and the people of Yei River County are not benefiting from Kegulu forest reserve and there are number of trucks transporting poles and logs out of Yei on daily basis and if people are taking out something near the people, there should be provision of clean water, schools and health centers in return.”

Residents are now appealing to county and state authorities to intervene and ensure that communities living around the reserve benefit from the area’s natural resources.

Responding to the concerns, Asiki Isaac, Director for Agriculture and Forestry in Yei River County, said management of the Kagelu Forest Reserve falls under the mandate of the national government.

“What we have here is that there are other teak poles owned by outgrowers and for Kegulu forest is under the national government and for us we approve logging based on documents send by the national forestry officials and the county has no power to control harvest of the teak plantation.”