The Resource Foundation, an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), in collaboration with ROCHA Ghana has engaged stakeholders on how best to monitor illegal logs and timber products in the country.
Mr Mensah Elliot Steven, Executive Coordinator for the NGO, speaking at a day’s workshop, said the project, funded by the US Forest Services, sought to contribute effectively to addressing drivers of illegal logging and timber trafficking along the supply chain.
It Is aimed at implementing a robust third-party monitoring framework led by Civil Society organizations (CSOs), with support from communities and Ghana’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) third party.
He stated that the objective was also to enhance CSO’s capacity to identify timber species, and processed timber as well as understand the relevant regulations governing timber logging, processing, and trade in Ghana.
Mr Steven said the project would develop an inclusive data collection tool and monitoring system to train partners on how to use the spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) application effectively for reporting timber trafficking incidents.
“We will also facilitate CSO’s capacity to collect monitoring data and hold radio talk shows to discuss illegal timber trafficking, and socio-ecological impacts on the country,” he said.
Mrs Jacqueline Mbawine, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Manager at ROCHA Ghana, observed that some timber trucks that crossed the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) check points during the nights made it difficult for monitoring.
Some stakeholders, including, the Western North Regional Coordinating Director, representatives from Forest Services Division, Customs Divisions of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Police, and community leaders all pledged to help fight illegal timber trafficking to help protect the country’s forest reserves and natural resources.
