Two-month ultimatum to clear Rosewood consignments

The Forestry Commission has given a two-month ultimatum to companies whose consignments of Rosewood have been impounded at the ports and wood depots to use the right processes to clear them or risk their confiscation.

The companies will be required to pay the appropriate penalties on those consignments for flouting a directive the commission issued on February 10, this year banning the harvesting, transportation and export of Rosewood.
“It is only after paying these penalties that the Forestry Commission will grant clearance for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certificates to be issued to enable shipment of the seized stocks,” the Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr John Allotey, said in a press conference in Accra yesterday.
Mr Allotey explained that since the ban, 361 containers of Rosewood had been seized, stressing that there was the need to clear them to decongest the ports and depots.
Background
Following the acceptance of Rosewood on the international market five years ago, a few timber merchants were granted permits to harvest and export the endangered wood specie.
However, the indiscriminate felling of Rosewood has been a challenge bedevilling the resource.
To curb the situation, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources imposed a ban to allow for a proper evaluation of the situation.
After the ban, 13 companies were granted permits in July 2015 to salvage large stocks of Rosewood that had remained on the ground, including those confiscated.
Investigation
Upon taking over as the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr John Peter Amewu conducted investigations into the trade, where it was revealed that large volumes of Rosewood were still being harvested indiscriminately, especially in the three northern regions.
He, therefore, issued a letter dated February 10, 2017 directing the Forestry Commission to re-impose the ban on Rosewood harvesting, transporting and exporting.
Review
Touching on the way forward, Mr Allotey said the Forestry Commission would begin a process to review all agreements that had been entered into with some companies to remove trees from the Bui Dam enclave.
“The previous permits have been revoked, so in due course, new companies will be selected on merit to undertake the assignment with the aim to protect the turning turbines of the Bui Dam from trees that may break and obstruct its efficient functioning,” he said.
Mr Allotey added that the Forestry Commission would take up the responsibility to ensure the domestic processing of Rosewood to add value before they were exported.