Rosewood Committee presents report to Lands Minister

A seven-member committee tasked to investigate the alleged smuggling of rosewood for export has presented its report to Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Accra.

Government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, set up the Committee headed by Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, a Deputy Minister of the Ministry in August last year, to investigate illegal rosewood smuggling.

This follows the US-based Environmental Investigation Agency’s (EIA) publication indicting government of failing to clamp down on illegal rosewood export despite the ban on the commodity.

Receiving the Committee's report at a brief ceremony at the Ministry, in Accra, Mr Asomah-Cheremeh, the Sector Minister, said his outfit would carefully study the report and take concrete decision on the various recommendations outlined in it.

He said the media would be informed in due course details of the report and decisions that would be taken by government.

The sector Minister lauded the Committee chaired by Mr Benito Owusu-Bio for a yeoman's work.

The Committee was tasked to investigate allegations of corruption as reported in the IEA's publication, examine all anomalies in respect of rosewood salvage permit, transportation and export trade and make recommendations for appropriate action(s) to be taken to halt the illegality, if any.

Members of the Committee are supposed to speak with relevant stakeholders within the Rosewood value chain to identify issues and challenges, in order to apply the requisite remedies.