Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, says the Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences will guarantee the export of timber and other goods to meet the international market demands.
A speech read on behalf of the Minister in Accra at the launch of the FLEGT License underscored the importance of forest law reform that granted entry to places for the export of artefacts.
The FLEGT licensing scheme is a key component of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between Ghana and the European Union (EU), which was signed in 2009.
The FLEGT license is an export license issued by a VPA partner country like Ghana for timber and timber products destined for the EU market.
The license certifies that the timber is legally sourced.
Ghana is the first country in Africa to issue FLEGT license and the second in the world.
Mr Buah said the country had reviewed and improved its laws to guide the timber industry and also put in place robust contracting systems to ensure responsible trade within the sector.
He commended all stakeholders that worked diligently to provide a relevant background and technical oversight needed to make the license system operational.
“Today is not just the end of the game; it is the beginning of another agenda. We should deepen our transparency in this issue.
“We should be so flexible in explaining things to our industry players who may not understand the process,” he said.
The Minister said the license would not just be a symbol but an opportunity to expand the market, attract responsible investment, and showcase Ghanaian timber as a premium product on a global stage.
He assured the international partners of Ghana’s readiness to do responsible timber trade and ensure socio-economic development.
“We are ready to lead the example, as we have led Africa; we are ready to collaborate with you to shape the forest and protect our livelihoods.”
The Minister warned individuals and organisations engaging in illegal logging and mining to desist from such activities or face the full rigour of the law.
These activities, he stressed, had destroyed the forests, water bodies, and farms, which needed urgent and collaborative action to address the challenges.
Dr Hugh C.A. Brown, the Acting Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said the Commission, in collaboration with partners, had put in place a mechanism to trace the harvesting and trade of timber in the country.
He commended past and present staff of the Commission for their contributions in achieving this milestone of ensuring quality standards in the timber industry.
Dr Brown said the transformational change was as a result of steadfast support from all stakeholders and pledged to sustain the gains to remain a source of pride in the industry.
Mr Jonas Claes, the Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Ghana, said the Union was poised to continue to partner with Ghana to sanitise the timber industry, devoid of negative practices that affected the environment.
He commended Ghana’s leadership and said the license would facilitate and boost trade and promote sustainable forest management.
Five companies were presented with the FLEGT license during the launching of the event.
They are Samatex Company Limited, Logs and Lumber Company Limited, JCM Company Limited, Miro Plantations, and West Coast Wooding Product Ghana Limited.
Source: GNA
The post FLEGT license will ensure legality in timber export from Ghana – Minister? appeared first on Ghana Business News.
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