The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in collaboration with the National Security and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority have impounded thirteen containers of rosewoods.
The thirteen containers- six of which have been confirmed to be carrying rosewoods were impounded at the Tema Port.
This disclosure was made by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Forestry,;Honorable Benito Owusu-Bio,;who led a team of officers from the National Security and the Customs Division of the GRA to inspect and confirm the consignment.
Details revealed by Honorable Benito Owusu-Bio at a presser indicates that the rosewoods were being imported from Nigeria into the country.
“The authorities first got wind of the arrival of the illegal rosewoods but opted against opening them;as a result of the absence of the owners of the containers”.
Benito Bio
The Deputy Minister narrated that the initial information stated that the containers were five but was later disclosed to be thirteen.
“Further investigations brought to the fore that as many as thirteen containers carrying the banned substance have been shipped into the country. The company which was identified as the consignee is FELISCO SUN Company limited.”
Benito Bio
Trade in rosewood banned
Honorable Benito Owusu-Bio further restated that government has a zero-tolerance policy on rosewoods. He served a reminder that trade in rosewoods be it import or export is banned in the country and that persons who are caught to have acted in contravention of the law will face the full rigors of the law.
He warned that the clampdown on rosewoods continues unabated and any person or organization found to be dealing it will not be spared. Also
Benito Owusu Bio also disclosed that the case will be handed over;to the National Investigations Bureau for probe and possible arrest of the persons behind the illegal activity.
“The government under the auspices of the Honorable Samuel Abu Jinapor is cracking down on illegal rosewood trade. In June this year,;seven trucks ferrying rosewoods were impounded by a highly efficient and motivated taskforce. Two were seized at the Savannah Region whiles the other five were arrested at the Tema Port.”
Benito Bio
Savelugu Police impounds rosewood containers
Prior to this, the Savelugu Municipal Police Command impounded two forty-footer container trucks loaded with banned rosewood at Diare in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region.
The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Bernard Baba Ananga, who confirmed the incident said the truck was impounded on August 12, 2021, by a patrol team at the Savelugu checkpoint.
According to him, the driver bolted after the patrol team established that the truck contained rosewood. He further indicated that the truck has been sent to the Savelugu police station.
He therefore appealed to residents within the northern zone to volunteer and provide information to help the forestry commission as the police arrest individuals who harvest rosewood even though it’s banned.
The government of Ghana has placed a ban on the logging, transportation and exportation of rosewood.
