Government’s fight to protect Rosewood discriminatory – Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, has raised concerns over government’s commitment to fight the felling of Rosewood in the Northern region.

There was a ban on the felling of Rosewood in the country early part of last year until the government gave approval for grant of permit to Messrs. Jusdal Plus, and other 24 companies to salvage Rosewood from the Brong-Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.

In the last few years, harvesting of the species had gone out of control and in curbing the indiscipline, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2014 banned the harvesting, transportation, export, sale or processing of rosewood in the country which mainly come from the three Northern regions.

The companies are to strictly comply with 17 guidelines and regulations relating to the grant of timber rights and also pay all statutory fees and approval premiums.

But speaking Wednesday January 3, 2018 on Starr Today, Dr. Apaak believes the government has not shown enough commitment to ending the felling on rosewood in the Northern region, accusing of discrimination.

“I am very close to believing that because I had earlier made a statement sometime last year in parliament which was referred to the Speaker to the sub-committee on Lands and Forestry and as I speak to you today, we are in the year 2018 the committee has not brought the report before the House. If no action is taken clearly the conclusion that I’d reach is that government is discriminating in as far as protecting the Savanna Woodland forest is concerned,” he told host of Starr Today Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson.

He therefore urged government to channel the same level of enthusiasm in the fight against galamsey to that of the ban on felling of Rosewood.