[ 2012-08-14 ]

Taskforce to curb illegal timber export
Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources,
Kwadwo Owusu-Agyeman, has inaugurated a 12-member
task force to curb the export of illegal timber
from the country.

The inter-agency task force constituted by the
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is
expected to curb the export of rosewood and teak
in particular.

It is envisaged that the Taskforce's intervention
will help highlight challenges in implementing the
ban on the issuance of licences to harvest
rosewood and bring up proposals to assist the
Ministry address the unsustainable exploitation of
the nation's forest resources.

The terms of reference of the task force include
investigating the source of logs that are being
shipped and referring illegal cases detected to
the Ministry “for the necessary action to be
taken”.

Mr. Owusu-Agyeman explained that the task force
will liaise with various shipping agencies to
monitor the release of containers loaded with teak
and rosewood.

“The task force will work for an initial period of
three months, after which it will be mandated to
determine the next move. We should be able to
strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies to
effectively take up this function as well as
improve collaboration between these agencies,” he
said.

Professor Bruce Banoeng Yakubu, Chief Director of
the Ministry, explained that there was leakage in
the timber industry as a result of the illegal
activities, adding: “wood is illegally harvested
and put into containers and then exported, and the
country is losing a lot of money as a result.”

He said on a daily basis several trucks and
containers loaded with rosewood and teak,
harvested illegally from transitions zones, are
packaged to look like transit cargo from Ghana's
neighbouring countries.

Prof. Yakubu urged members of the task force to
work hard to block the leakages and ensure sanity
in the timber industry.

Other members of the task force include Alec
Oppong and Nii Nikoi Amasa of the Ghana Ports and
Habours Authority; Seidu Adam from the Ministry of
Finance; Appiah Doyina from the Ministry of Trade
and Industry; and Kwaakye Ameyaw, representing the
Forest Services Division of the Forestry
Commission.

The rest are Eric Abequeye from the Timber
Industry Development Division; Kwame Owusu Bamfo
and Kit Laryea, representatives of the Ghana
Revenue Authority (GRA); and DK Glover, John Boadu
and R.A. Bediako representing the National
Security, the Attorney General's Department and
civil society organisations respectively.

Source - Thebftonline.com

... go Back