Ecological destruction is an insult to Ghana - Apaak

Dr Clement Apaak, MP for Builsa South says it is an “insult” to the country, when unscrupulous business people and their accomplices engage in ecological destruction against national efforts in tree planting and environmental stewardship.

 

He made a call on colleague legislators to work to bring an end to the illegal harvesting of rosewood that had hit parts of Northern Ghana, and bring the “criminals to book.”

 

In a statement at Parliament, Dr Apaak said: “Mr Speaker, as leader and representatives of the people, we cannot afford to watch unconcerned and allow these illegal loggers to make huge financial profit at the expense of the poor masses whose daily livelihoods depend on a healthy environment.

 

'This callous, cruel and wicked environmental carnage is not only the result of utter ignorance but that of sheer greed for money and insensitivity to and total disregard for the fragile ecosystem of Builsa South.’

 

Rosewood is fine grained timber used principally for the production of high-end expensive furniture for the elite across the world, especially in China and other parts of Asia. It is used for making chess pieces as well as parts of musical instruments. It is estimated that China alone imports close to 96% of all rose lumber exported out of Ghana.

 

Dr Apaak recalled that rosewood harvesting and trade started with logging during the construction of the Bui hydro power dam and later the construction Fufulso-Sawla Road.

 

“What started as legal salvage activities for the removal of trees on commercial value within the catchment of the Bui dam has turned into the biggest illegal harvesting and trade any timber species ever in the history of Ghana,” Dr Apaak said.

 

A ban imposed by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources last February harvesting and export of rosewood had not been effective due to lack of robust enforcement, and the Builsa South Lawmaker noted that the illegal practice was still practised in the Constituency in communities such as Fumbisi, Uwasi, Weisi, Doninga, Bachonsi, Kanjaga, Wiesi, Gbedembilsi, Yepala and several other communities.

 

The Presiding Member of the Builsa South District Assembly has also reported that efforts by the Assembly to stop the illegal mining were not being complemented by the Police or the Forestry Commission; and the District had no forestry officer.

 

Dr Apaak said it had been discovered that the illegal loggers had started using Togo as an outlet “ to get the criminal booty to designated destinations, and the stolen logs were transported to Togo via Bawku for export to circumvent the ban on export from Ghana.

 

He expressed worry over the impact of the illegal logging, with looming attendant worsening climatic conditions with consequent declining agrarian economy and serious migration of environmental refugees for the savanna to the south, and more head porters nicknamed kayayei.

 

The legislator recommended a thorough investigation to be conducted by the Bureau of National Investigation into the illegal logging of rosewood, to bring the malefactors to justice, in addition to being made to plant and nurture the trees to maturity.

 

Also, the District Police Command should be instructed to arrest anyone felling rosewood in the Builsa South District, followed by prosecution, in addition to the Police teaming up with the Forestry Commission to enforce the ban.

 

Furthermore, a national task-force, with representation from the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, the BNI and the Office of the President should be formed to investigate why the illegal harvesting continued in the savanna zone and the outcome of the work of such a taskforce should be considered in possible policy changes or modifications.

 

Dr Apaak called on the House to invite the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to furnish it with a report on how many containers of rosewood had been impounded since the ban, their places of origin, and how the Government of Ghana intends to dispose the impounded rosewood.