Timber validation committee inaugurated
A 10-member timber validation committee to oversee the processing of applications for licensing of timber products has been inaugurated.
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Members of the committee are: Justice Dennis Adjei, an Appeal Court Judge, who is the Chairman; Dr Okatakyi Amanfi VII, Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, Mr Frederick Gavor and Mr Musah Abu-Poku.
The rest are: Ms Sedina Agbemava, Mr Joshua Ansah, Mr Imad Berbari, Mr Kofi Afreh Boakye and Mr Chris Beeko.
The members of the committee, who are to serve for three years, will, among other functions, settle complaints on the verification and validation of applications for licences for timber products that have been harvested in the country, imported, destined for distribution and sale on the domestic market and for export.
The committee is also to make recommendations to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources on the implementation of the timber resources report annually.
Additionally, the committee is vested with investigative powers to undertake self -initiated inspections and investigation into administrative malfeasance or negligence as a preventive measure and also to guard against abuse or manipulation of the verification and validation processes.
Inaugurating the committee, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, said the primary responsibility of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) was to ensure that the function of verification and validation as envisaged under the VPA were performed in a credible, transparent and independent manner.
The terms of reference of the committee
The minister said the committee was also expected to monitor and ensure that the department responsible for the verification and validation of applications for licences performed its functions in a credible, transparent and independent manner.
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He also said in 2009 Ghana became the first country to negotiate a VPA with the European Union.
The key objective of the agreement, he explained, was to put in place systems that would combat illegal logging, trade in illegal timber as well as improve upon the governance environment in the forestry sector.
Alhaji Inusah said the roots of the illegal logging problem were traced to weak law enforcement, inadequate monitoring, feedback mechanisms and inadequate participation of stakeholders in policy-making process.