Forestry experts have cautioned that Ghana\u2019s natural forests may run the risk of being depleted in the next 10 to 20 years.<\/p>\n
They expressed fear that if care is not taken, the country will resort to importing Timber for construction if the high rate of illegal timber logging is not curbed.<\/p>\n
According to the Ghana Forest Investment Program, Ghana loses two percent of its forest annually which translates into about seven hundred thousand hectors.<\/p>\n
Director of Nature Development Foundation Mustapha Seidu, who spoke at a media training workshop on the Public Procurement Policy for Timber and Timber Products in Ghana said that the current situation of the forests if not stopped, may have irreversible consequences on the country\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the public procurement policy? When is it going to be passed?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
He added that \u201cGiven the fact we are losing two per cent of our forest per annum and given that illegal logging is on the rampage in this nation, don\u2019t they think that our natural forest is going to be depleted in the next ten to twenty years?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat would happen to local people who are constantly depending on wood from cheaper sources? Can they actually afford import and is importation is going to be a substitute or a solution?<\/p>\n
Gov\u2019t to begin Timber Importation<\/strong> She addressed the 5th edition of National Forest Forum-Ghana (NFF-G) in Dodowa, where she disclosed that timber products on the domestic market were not enough to meet demand.<\/p>\n The forum, was attended by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), policymakers and traditional leaders from the 10 regions under the theme: \u2018Deepening Ghana\u2019s Country Dialogue-Contribution to sustainable forest management,\u2019 was organized by NFF-G to grant stakeholders the platform to dialogue on ways of sustaining Ghana\u2019s natural resources.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is high demand for timber products in the country but the current timber production capacity is extremely low and if the government fails to bring in additional supply, illegal chainsaw activities could increase tremendously,\u201d said the Deputy Minister.<\/p>\n \u201cThe trees we have in our forest are just small. Most of the mahogany and other tree species are gradually finishing, if we do not feed employers within the industry they will lay off their employees,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Rita Mensah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Forestry experts have cautioned that Ghana\u2019s natural forests may run the risk of being depleted in the next 10 to 20 years. They expressed fear that if care is not taken, the country will resort to importing Timber for construction if the high rate of illegal timber logging is not curbed. According to the Ghana […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,11],"tags":[10306,10307,3],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIn 2014 , the then Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah indicated that the government was going to commence with the importation of timber.<\/p>\n