{"id":616818,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/616818/?format=json","text_counter":135,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Ng’ongo","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":110,"legal_name":"John Mbadi Ng'ong'o","slug":"john-mbadi"},"content":"The environmental effect of failure to conserve forests is something that cannot be overstretched. Where is the problem? The problem is not with the people who encroach forests; the problem is not with the people destroying forests, but the problem is with the Government that is supposed to have officers managing our forests. I remember in the 1980s, you would find forest guards residing literally in forests. Nowadays, it is very difficult for you to even know where a forest office is. A whole 4,000 hectares of forest in Gwasi Hills does not even have a single office or place where forest guards reside. The forest guards live several kilometres away from the forest. How then can they protect the forests?"}