Timber Industry Players Urged To Improve Compliance And Sustainability.
Stakeholders in Ghana’s timber industry have been urged to strengthen compliance with forestry regulations and adopt sustainable practices to improve access to both local and international markets.
The call was made at a capacity-building workshop on Corrective Action Requests (CARs) held in Assin Fosu in the Central Region for timber operators and industry players from Adansi Asokwa, Obuasi, New Adubiase, Dunkwa-on-Offin, Assin Fosu and Twifo Praso.
The training focused on regulatory standards, compliance procedures and measures required to address infractions identified during inspections and audits within the forestry sector.
The programme forms part of the project titled “Advancing Good Forest and Mineral Governance to Reduce the Contribution of Timber Trade and Mining to Deforestation in Ghana, Liberia, and Cameroon,” funded by the UK Government through the Forest Governance, Markets and Climate (FGMC) programme.
Senior Project Manager of the Nature and Development Foundation (NDF), Margaret Appiah, said strengthening the capacity of timber industry players is essential in promoting responsible forest governance and sustainable forest management.
She noted that many operators still face challenges in understanding compliance requirements and documentation processes, making stakeholder engagement necessary to improve adherence to forestry regulations.
Manager for the Timber Verification Department (TVD), Dr. Frank Ankomah, explained that some companies continue to struggle to meet international standards due to deficiencies in their production and operational systems.
According to him, these compliance gaps affect the clearance and export of timber products onto both domestic and international markets.
He therefore urged stakeholders to ensure full legal compliance and operate within the framework of the law to enable smooth access to markets.
Meanwhile, participants who benefited from the training expressed appreciation to the organisers and development partners for the programme and pledged to apply the knowledge acquired to improve compliance and sustainability within their operations.
Story by Kwame Owusu Asante Shadrack, Rich FM Assin Fosu.
