New Permit Invoice For Exporters Of Timber

The Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) is to introduce a new standard permit invoice for the export of timber and wood products from June 1, this year, Mr Henry Coleman, Contract and Permit Manager of TIDD, has announced.

Speaking at a workshop for forwarding agents and officials of banks, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and shipping companies in Takoradi, Mr Coleman said the new permit invoice has security features to check forgery and other malpractices in the transaction process.

Mr Coleman said the existing practice in respect of Timber Export Permit allowed timber exporters to develop and complete export permit invoices for vetting and approval by TIDD.

 He said it was becoming increasingly clear that the practice was being subjected to all kinds of abuses by unscrupulous exporters, thereby making the system insecure.

 Mr Coleman said the TIDD and the Forestry Commission had, therefore, put in place measures to ensure that manufacturers of timber products and exporters became accountable for the forest resource.

“This has culminated in the provision of Yield and Input/Output data as additional requirements for the processing of Contract of Sale and Export Permit respectively”, he said.

Mr Coleman added, “These requirements, from the standpoint of TIDD, are envisaged to bring about some credibility and assurance that timber and wood products are obtained from legal sources”.

He said the European Union (EU) would sign an agreement with Ghana to prevent illegal timber products from entering the EU market..