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Ghana resumes moratorium on Rose Wood harvesting and export

Xinhua, May 4, 2017 Adjust font size:

Ghanaian authorities announced here on Thursday the resumption of moratorium on the harvesting and exportation of Rose Wood.

This is to enable the country take steps to institute strict regulations of the harvesting, as part of its Climate Change control mechanisms; as well as ensure orderly processing and export of the wood from the country.

"Future extraction of all Rosewood would be based on the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) approved yearly volume quota for the country," Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Deputy CEO) of the Forestry Commission John Allotey announced this at a press briefing.

Harvesting of Rosewood commenced five years ago in the West African country with some timber companies given the license to trade in the wood, but the activities surrounding the Rosewood trade got out of hand necessitating a ban by the government.

"Rosewood is still being harvested indiscriminately, particularly in the three Northern Regions. This situation poses serious threat to the forest cover in these regions leaving the option for the minister to revisit the placement of a ban on the harvesting, transportation and exportation of Rosewood in the country," the Deputy CEO explained.

With the stocks already at the ports and under various stages of preparation across the country, the official announced that the companies would be allowed to export them in order to decongest the ports, after they are made to pay penalties for flouting orders of the authorities. Endit