Gov’t Urged To Speed Up Issuance Of FLEGT License To Boost Ailing Timber Industry

The government is being urged by the Civil Society to FastTrack the conversion of extant leases and permits to valid timber utilization contracts to allow for the successful issuance of FLEGT license to boost the ailing industry.

The Forestry Commission and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has over the years undertaken several steps towards the issuance of FLEGT License.

Unfortunately, the processes have been stalled in the past year raising concerns from civil society groups pushing for the license to see the light of day.

Eco Care Ghana and various Civil Society Organizations have noted that they have observed with worry the seemingly slow pace at which the conversion process between the various actors are progressing.

They have therefore through a press statement called on the state actors to play their various roles to see to the issuance of the FLEGT license before the year comes to an end.

“We call on the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Parliament of Ghana to undertake their respective responsibilities as mandated by law and convert extant leases and permits to valid timber utilization contracts to allow for successful issuance of FLEGT license before the end of 2020”, part of a statement copied to Modernghana has said.

According to the Civil Society, the issuance of FLEGT license will greatly remedy the ailing timber industry and assist in redirecting much-needed funds and staff time from being used in responding to due diligence requests and invest them in supporting the welfare of their workers in this COVID-19 era.

If the processes are completed before the end of the year, Ghana will become only the second country in the world and the first in Africa to trade in FLEGT licensed timber.

Below is the statement from the Civil Society: