Search
Close this search box.
GBC
GHANA WEATHER

Natural Resources Minister warns illegal chainsaw operators

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest

Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Kwaku Asumah-Cheremah has sent strongest of indication to illegal chainsaw operators plundering the country’s timber that they will not be spared when arrested.

He said no timber operator should enter the country’s forest without license because the security agencies have been placed on high alert to deal with those engaged in illegal logging.

Mr. Asumah-Cheremah gave the warning when he and the EU ambassador to Ghana Diana Acconcia tour the kunsimoa bepo shelterbelt forest reserve at Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti.

He said with Ghana nearing the signing of the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade License agreement with the EU for Ghana’s timber to enter the EU market, government will not let some few selfish individuals to milk the country.

The sector minister said though Ghana is yet to finalise the details of the agreement with the EU as to the quantum of timber species to be exported to the EU market annually and the amount of foreign exchange to be derive, government is optimistic that Ghana stands to benefit more.

He said timber will soon be the new gold for Ghana.

He said per the EU policy, timber species to any EU market must come from a sustainable forest reserve and it is for this reason that that EU has been supporting Ghana for the past ten years to ensure it timber to the EU market is from a sustainable forest.

EU Ambassador to Ghana Diana Acconcia

The EU Ambassador to Ghana Diana Acconcia said EU technical team will be in Ghana in the next few days to it assessment before finally ratifying the agreement.

She however, per what she has seen, Ghana is on the right trajectory to penetrating the EU market.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Kwaku Asumah-Cheremah and the EU Ambassador later had community engagement with people at New Edubiase as to the benefit they stand to derive when the agreement goes through.

Story by Felix Cofie

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT