The Ghana Timber Millers Organisation has expressed concern over the increasing incidence of illegal logging, describing it as a menace that is undermining operations and threatening livelihoods in the sector.
Speaking in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Accra on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Dr Kwame Asamoah Adam, said the situation was forcing companies to scale down production, lay off workers and struggle to meet financial obligations, raising concerns about the sustainability of the industry.
He explained that while registered companies operate under agreements with the Forestry Commission to harvest limited quantities of timber annually for both domestic use and export, illegal operators frequently invaded legally assigned concessions to steal logs.
“These people have no allocated areas, but they enter legal concessions, harvest timber, and sometimes use force. Some even attack trucks transporting logs on highways and seize them,” he said.
According to him, the situation had escalated into violent confrontations, with some companies spending heavily on private security to protect their concessions, while others rely on limited military support that is often temporary.
He noted that the Western Region had become a hotspot for such activities, with some companies unable to access their concessions, leading to a near collapse of operations.
The impact, he said, was severe adding that “Companies cannot operate at full capacity, so they are unable to pay workers, meet tax obligations or service bank loans. Some banks are now threatening to collapse affected companies.”
Dr Adam further revealed that a large proportion of illegally harvested timber was exported to neighbouring Sahel countries such as Mali and Chad, depriving Ghana of revenue and weakening enforcement efforts.
He also pointed to the alleged involvement of some local communities and landowners, who he said support illegal operators in exchange for immediate cash payments rather than long-term royalties from licensed companies.
In response, the Forestry Commission said it was intensifying measures to ensure compliance and curb illegal logging through its Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing system.
The Executive Director of the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD), Dr Richard Gyimah, disclosed that Ghana has issued about 500 FLEGT licences, covering timber exports valued at approximately €14.3 million, representing about 22,500 cubic metres exported mainly to European Union (EU) markets.
He explained that the FLEGT system, under Ghana’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU, ensures that only legally sourced timber enters the European market.
“So far, the system has helped to ensure that exporters comply with all legal requirements, from obtaining valid harvesting permits to meeting social responsibility obligations with forest fringe communities,” he said.
Dr Gyimah added that timber firms were required to strictly adhere to regulations governing harvesting, transportation, processing and export, with both digital and field verification systems used to monitor compliance.
“We operate the Ghana Wood Tracking System, which allows us to monitor the entire supply chain from harvesting to export. Field audits are also conducted to verify operations on the ground,” he explained.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAH FOLLEY
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