The Forest Watch Coalition has raised concerns about the threats facing Ghana’s forest reserves.
At a press conference in Accra, the coalition warned that Ghana’s forest reserves are at serious risk due to delays in implementing crucial regulations for sustainable timber management. They pointed to the government’s failure to ratify permits and leases for timber logging as a significant issue.
Since 2014, of the 148 permits and leases identified, only 11 have been ratified, leaving 137 still pending. This backlog jeopardizes both the country’s forest resources and the legal timber trade.
“The government’s inaction is exposing our forest reserves to illegal mining and logging,” said a representative from the Forest Watch Coalition. “We urge the government to speed up the ratification process and create a clear plan for implementing sustainable forest management laws.”
The coalition cautioned that Ghana’s inability to enforce the Timber Resources Management Regulation of 2017 could result in losing access to the European Union market for legal timber.
“We have missed every deadline for implementing sustainable forest management laws,” the representative noted. “We cannot afford to compound the destruction from illegal mining with more illegal logging.”
The Forest Watch Coalition is calling on the government to:
- Expedite the ratification process and finalize all leases by the end of 2024.
- Publish a roadmap for implementing sustainable forest management laws and ensuring trade in legal timber.
They have also offered to assist the government in protecting timber resources and promoting legal timber trade.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Forestry have been urged to take urgent action to address the challenges facing Ghana’s forest resources and timber trade.
