Ghanaians to blame for Rosewood exportation – Forestry Commission

The Forestry Commission has blamed the violation of the ban on the logging and exportation of Rosewood on Ghanaians who collaborate with their Chinese counterparts.

In March 2019, the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry placed a total ban on the harvesting and exportation of rosewood.

However, data from the Forestry commission indicates that from 2017 to the first quarter of 2019, about one hundred metric tonnes of Rosewood worth Eighty Million Euros were exported.

Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, John Allotey said his outfit is still enforcing the ban on the exportation of Rosewood.

“We found out that some Ghanaians with those permits team up with Chinese just like we have in Galamsey and they are exporting those products to China so then you will have Chinese involvement. But for us, whether it is a Chinese or a Ghanaian, once the ban is in place, we will make sure we enforce it.”

Gov’t to blame for smuggling Rosewood

Just recently Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Clement Apaak blamed the government for the constant smuggling of Rosewood in the country.

The MP on Eyewitness News indicated that officials from key government institutions including the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources have been facilitating the illegal harvest and transportation of Rosewood across Ghana.

“Our laws recognize that because these species are endangered, it should not be harvested …and yet it continues to be harvested and exported illegally in spite of the current ban and I do not blame the Chinese. I blame the government.

“I blame the Forestry Commission, I blame the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, I blame the Police, I blame those who work at the ports because this should not be happening and it is happening because our people have been compromised and they are allowing our forest to be compromised for greed,” he said.