Exportation Of Rosewood Outrightly Banned - Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has placed an outright ban on the exportation of rosewood in the country.
He says rosewood remains a restricted wood species under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and that Ghana has a responsibility under the Convention to protect these species by controlling their exploitation.
In a statement signed by the Minister, he explained that the Ministry has taken notice of the unfortunate practice whereby some unscrupulous individuals, Ghanaians and foreigners alike, who harvest Rosewood illegally, manage to participate in the lawful auction of such confiscated Rosewood by the Forestry Commission, and then disingenuously turn around to export the same Rosewood to the international market.
He has therefore directed that effective immediately, no Rosewood shall be exported out of Ghana.
Read Statement Below
2nd July, 2021
MINISTRY OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES OUTRIGHT BAN ON THE EXPORT OF ROSEWOOD
Whereas the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (hereinafter called “the Ministry”) is responsible for ensuring the sustainable management and efficient and effective utilization of the nation’s lands, forests, wildlife, and other natural resources for the socio-economic growth and development of the country;
Whereas Rosewood remains a restricted wood species under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Ghana has a responsibility under the Convention to protect these species by controlling their exploitation;
Whereas the Ministry has placed a ban on the harvesting of Rosewood;
Whereas the Ministry has taken notice of the unfortunate practice whereby some unscrupulous individuals, Ghanaians and foreigners alike, who harvest Rosewood illegally, manage to participate in the lawful auction of such confiscated Rosewood by the Forestry Commission, and then disingenuously turn around to export the same Rosewood to the international market;
Whereas the practice as stated in the immediately preceding paragraph, encourages the illicit harvesting, transporting, processing, trading and exporting of Rosewood, in spite of the subsisting ban; and
Whereas the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources (hereinafter called “the Minister”) is desirous of taking appropriate measures to end the operations of these cartels and the illicit trade in rosewood;
NOW THEREFORE the Minister hereby directs that effective immediately, no Rosewood shall be exported out of Ghana;
The Minister further directs that all confiscated Rosewood, be auctioned ONLY to the domestic market and that no person who acquires Rosewood at such auction shall be permitted to export it outside the country.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Minister also directs the Forestry Commission, to, while the ban remains in force, cease the issuance of CITES permits for the purposes of exporting Rosewood, whether the Rosewood was acquired legally or otherwise.
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