Ghana's Timber Sector and
Ghana's Forestry Commission |
The
Ghana Forestry Commission consists of three operational
elements:
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- Forest Services Division
- Wildlife Division
- Timber Industry Development Division |
The Timber Industry
Development Division (TIDD) works in support of
the logging and wood processing sector. It encourages
a skilled and progressive industry based on the
sustainable use of forests and providing a source
of secure employment, income, career and skills
development.
TIDD is committed to ensuring that Ghana will maintain
and increase its wood resource through the sustainable
management of its Forest Reserves, the establishment
of industrial wood plantations, the evolution of
a sophisticated bamboo industry, and the committment
of local communities to the protection and responsible
use of their forested lands.
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| Adding Value and Minimising
Waste |
TIDD
is encouraging the industry to use a greater number
of the very many tree species which occur in Ghana's
natural forest in order to take the pressure off
the better known traditional species. Lower extraction
of well known timbers allows greater harvesting of
lesser known species without jeopardising principles
of selective controlled logging and sustainable harvesting.
Because overall log supply for exports cannot be increased,
TIDD has a key role in helping industry to create more
valure through additional processing. The aim is to
provide machined and shaped timber as well as components
and finished products. Profitable production of such
items helps utilise wood offcuts and residues arising
in Ghana's primary wood products sector.
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| Seeking Partnerships |
At
present Ghana's industrial base has limited financial
and technical resources. Working with Ghana's investment
Promotion Centre and other institutions, TIDD seeks
to create technical and investment collaboration
between Ghanaian timber processing companies and
their opposite numbers in overseas markets. Partnerships
offer the potential to enhance incomes and abilities
of local companies and their workers, and at the
same time offer cost savings benefits to companies
in developed countries.
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| Promoting Ghana's
Timber Interests Overseas |
The
Ghanaian Forestry Commission through its Timber Industry
Development Division and in particular its London
office, promotes Ghana's timber products worldwide.
A broad range of promotion methods includes technical
leaflets, publications about Ghana, its industry
and forests, and by being present at trade fairs,
seminars and trade meetings, and undertaking one-to-one
consultation with timber businesses. Promotion efforts
for species and products are always in the context
of Ghana's positive efforts to ensure that export
timber comes from sustainable practices in the forest.
TIDD helps represent Ghana's views in the global debate
about environment, forests and tropical hardwoods.
Ghana is moving, step by step, towards formal certification
of timber at company level.
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| A Monitoring Role |
The
Division produces comprehensive monthly statistics
for its export trade division - probably the most
detailed in the tropics. A key role is the monitoring
of all export contracts in terms of price, species,
specification and quality, linked with physical inspection
at the two ports of exit - Takoradi and Tema. Related
to this are the strategically positioned roadside
checkpoints where inspectors check vehicles carrying
logs for property, tree and species reference marks
to ensure that logs have been legally sourced. A
primary role for the Division is monitoring the quality
and standards of Ghana's wood and wood products so
that they fully meet market expectations.
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