{"id":4923,"date":"2014-03-10T06:59:31","date_gmt":"2014-03-10T06:59:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=4923"},"modified":"2014-03-10T07:33:57","modified_gmt":"2014-03-10T07:33:57","slug":"timber-ghana-loses-gh%c2%a250m","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/03\/timber-ghana-loses-gh%c2%a250m\/","title":{"rendered":"Timber: Ghana loses GH\u00a250m"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"wpid-timber\"<\/a>Ghana has lost an estimated GH\u00a2 50 million for not reviewing upwards stumpage fees of natural forest timber species for the past 11 years.<\/p>\n

It is estimated that the country loses an average of GH\u00a2 5 million annually for not increasing the fees.<\/p>\n

The last time the fees were re\u00adviewed was in July 2003. Timber companies pay GH\u00a2 25 as stumpage fee for Odum and sell it for about \u20ac800 in countries like Germany.<\/p>\n

Information gathered by The Finder indicates that powerful tim\u00adber merchants in Ghana allegedly lobby people who have influence on the Forestry Commission (FC) to ensure that the Commission did not increase stumpage fees of natural forest timber species for the past 11 years.<\/p>\n

According to our information, the Forestry Commission reviewed the fees for 2014 and has accord\u00adingly written to all the timber com\u00adpanies and authorities notifying them of the new rate effective March 1.<\/p>\n

However, immediately the letter dated February 18, 2014 was re\u00adceived, influential people started mounting pressure on the Commis\u00adsion not to go ahead with the new rates.<\/p>\n

With the existing rates, stump fees generate GH\u00a210 million a year and the Forestry Commission keeps GH\u00a2 5 million and the remaining GHD 5 million is shared among the Office of the Administration of Stool Land, the Stool that owns the land, the Traditional Authority and the District Assembly.<\/p>\n

When the new rates are imple\u00admented, stumpage fees would dou\u00adble to GH\u00a220 million per annum, of which the Commission would keep Gh\u00a2 10 million and the other stake\u00adholders also share GH\u00a2 10 million.<\/p>\n

The Timber Resources Manage\u00adment Regulations Legislative Instru\u00adment (L.I.) 1649, which was amended by L.I. 1721, mandates the Forestry Commission to review stumpage fees on the harvesting of timber species for commercial pur\u00adposes.<\/p>\n

The increase took into account the FOB prices from the latest min\u00adimum guiding prices of the Timber Industry Development Division and the interbank rates (buying) of the euro as at February 18, 2014.<\/p>\n

The revenue loss is affecting the finances of the Commission and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

As of January 2007, for both on and off reserve, 50% was deducted by the FC in order to secure its man\u00adagement and regulation services, and the other 50% was split between the Office of the Administration of Stool Land (OASL) and other bene\u00adficiaries.<\/p>\n

After the OASL has taken 10% as administration fees, the remain\u00adder is shared as follows: 25% to the Stool through the Traditional Au\u00adthority for the maintenance of the Stool, 20% to the Traditional Au\u00adthority, and 55% to the District As\u00adsembly within the area of authority of which stool lands are situated.<\/p>\n

The Commission needs to imple\u00adment the new rates to reflect the cur\u00adrent economic realities to ensure that it generates adequate revenue to fund its mandate of managing, pro\u00adtecting and developing the forest state of the’country and at the same time generate adequate revenue for landowners and the district assem\u00adblies who rely heavily on the pro\u00adceeds from the stumpage fees.<\/p>\n

The change in stumpage fees for some high-demand trees is Asafina, from GH\u00a225.20 to GH\u00a2 112.04; African black wood, from GH\u00a2 12.39 to GH\u00a2 149.16; Candolllei, from GH\u00a2 21.68 to GH\u00a2 86.37; Sapele, from GH\u00a227.37 to GH\u00a2 130.72; and Utile, from GH\u00a2 31.60 to GH\u00a2 135.38.<\/p>\n

The Commission staggered the charging of the increase as follows: 50% from March 1, 2014, increase it to 75% in September, and 100% in January 2015.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source: The Finder<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ghana has lost an estimated GH\u00a2 50 million for not reviewing upwards stumpage fees of natural forest timber species for the past 11 years. It is estimated that the country loses an average of GH\u00a2 5 million annually for not increasing the fees. The last time the fees were re\u00adviewed was in July 2003. Timber […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":4925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[38,21,4],"yoast_head":"\nTimber: Ghana loses GH\u00a250m - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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