KEY POINTS
- Ghana issues first FLEGT timber licences in Africa.
- Five companies now cleared to export timber to EU.
- EU further pledges more support for forest conservation.
Ghana has issued its first six Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licenses, allowing five companies to export timber to the European Union.
The licences presented by Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie at the Forestry Commission in Accra mark a historic moment as Ghana becomes the first African country and only the second globally, after Indonesia, to trade under the FLEGT regime.
FLEGT licences open new market doors
Samartex Timber and Plywood Co. received the licences. Ltd, Logs and Lumber Ltd, JCM Company Ltd, Mere Plantations Ltd, and West Coast Wooden Products Ghana Ltd.
The companies can now export timber and timber products to destinations such as Italy, Germany, and Estonia.
Officials say the scheme will ensure timber harvested for export complies with Ghana’s laws, promoting sustainability while expanding market access.
Ghana’s journey to timber legality and timber export licenses
The milestone follows years of negotiations and reforms after Ghana signed a voluntary partnership agreement with the EU in 2009.
Chief Director Innocent Haligah, speaking for Forestry Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, described the event as “a collaborative achievement across governments, civil society, and industry.”
He warned illegal loggers and miners to leave protected forest zones. “We are coming for them; the field day is over,” he also said.
EU backs Ghana’s sustainable forestry drive
The EU pledged continued support, including €400,000 in IT equipment for the Forestry Commission and €37 million for land and forest conservation projects.
Deputy EU Head of Delegation Jonas Claes said the move would “boost trade in legal timber products while tackling deforestation and biodiversity loss.”
