Beginning June 15, this year, all timber products that will be exported from Ghana to the European Union (EU) market must conform to the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) license requirement.
Although the move would make Ghana the first African country and the second in the world to meet the requirement, the opportunity risks fizzling out due to Parliament’s failure to ratify the timber rights before rising last month.
If the country fails to ratify the timber rights, all timber products leaving the country cannot enter the EU, the country’s largest market for wood and wood products.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Dr. Hugh Brown, told the Daily Graphic that apart from being on the brink of making history, that milestone would help to eliminate illegal logging and ensure the sustainable management of the country’s forest resources.
Empowering Women through Skill Development
He, however, said that for Ghana to achieve that goal, Parliament needed to ratify some timber rights as a matter of urgency.
“Every timber right is a contract that is signed between the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and ratified by Parliament. Parliament has that last step to take for us,” he said.
He said some of the timber rights had been ratified while others still needed to complete the ratification process, “and we are waiting for that due process to be completed.”
“If we meet this deadline, it would mean a lot to Ghana because we are announcing our credential as a country that respects the laws of the environment; we will be sending a signal to the international community that we are harvesting and trading timber from our forest under strict regulations; and it is a signal to whoever wants to invest in the country’s forest that Ghana plays by the books,” he said.
President’s assurance
In his address to launch the Tree for Life initiative on Friday, March 21, this year, President John Dramani Mahama gave a firm assurance that the government was committed to ensuring that all was set for the country to begin exporting FLEGT-licensed timber by June 2025.
The President said the FLEGT initiative was crucial as it would ensure that only sustainably sourced timber was exported to the EU, helping to combat illegal logging and promoting sustainable forest management.
“This achievement underscores our commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals – a commitment by countries to limit average global temperatures to below two degree Celsius. “As we approach the 2030 deadline, we must accelerate our efforts to meet climate and biodiversity targets,” he added.
Source: Peacefmonline.com