FILE PHOTO: Yambio-Tombura road, Ezo town is located along Yambio-Tombura road - Courtesy

The governor of Western Equatoria State has signed a five-year contract with a Ugandan-based engineering company, TODAF, to harvest teak worth $2.5 billion.

Alfred Futuyo says the decision followed “a wider consultation” with community leaders, including chiefs and youth in the state.

“All the money is for the community,” he asserted.

It’s not clear how much teak will be felled, but in a statement, the governor’s press secretariat estimates about 50 million trees.

“We better agreed [with chiefs] for the company to help develop our state and take the teak as much as they want,” Governor Futuyo explained.

According to Futuyo, the Ugandan company will use revenues generated from the activity to construct roads, airport, schools, hospitals, water systems, and electricity, among others.

Forests, according to the country’s constitution, are a national resource managed by the national government.

When asked whether he consulted with the national government, Futuyo said they are yet to seek approval from the concerned ministry.

But he hopes that his decision will be considered, saying he did it according to the needs of the state.

“The national government will accept our decision because the state is really suffering. As a governor, I’m now moving in a car that is full of dust. We do not have to pay our attention only to oil. The oil cannot develop the whole country.”

Late last year, the undersecretary accused Governor Futuyo of illegally cutting trees in the state.

This came after Futuyo signed a memorandum of understanding with the same company.