Civic Publications

The purpose of this study is to contribute to improving the use of forest royalties for the development of Ghana. The study assesses the current situation in selection of districts and makes recommendations from this evidence to those involved in the distribution and management of DA timber royalties. In particular it identifies governance failures and discusses how transparency and accountability might be strengthened.

Attempts to sustainably manage forest resources in Ghana have changed over time as social, political and economic conditions change. Logging policies have similarly changed frequently over the last few decades with various measures adopted at different stages in an attempt to optimise the production base. In pursuance of sustainable forest management in Ghana, timber production in the past was permitted through long-term concessions and short-term licenses. In the 1970’s there was considerable decline in all the sectors of the timber industry including log products, sawn lumber and processed wood products due to general economic depression in the country.

It is necessary to set the context for discussing the need for community participation in forest monitoring to enable community members appreciate what they will be losing if they do not, and what they stand to gain if they do. The main incentive for communities to participate in forest monitoring is to ensure communities benefit financially from the forest resources they own, protect, and manage. Currently the only financial benefit accruing to communities is the implementation of Social Responsibility Agreements (SRAs) by timber companies which is 5% of stumpage fees paid by timber companies.

This manual is the result of a series of training from 2014 to 2016 for local forest communities. One major learning from the training is that clear communication to local communities and good understanding of the leverage FLEGT-VPA provides can be a good trigger for forest law enforcement at the local level. It is this agenda that this manual seeks to address. In every section, there are notes to the trainer, which provide useful insights and deeper explanation trainers can share with trainees.

Evidence gathered by CSOs indicates that forest reserves such as Upper Wassa, Fure River, Subri and Tonton are seriously under the threat of large scale illegal mining. WACAM, Forest Watch Ghana, Kasa Initiative Ghana, National Forestry Forum Ghana, and over 76 NGOs (including Civic Response) call on the President and National Security Council to take urgent steps to halt this menace.

Accra, 14 July 2016. The Tano-Offin Forest Reserve is under threat of mining and this should be a concern to all Ghanaians. Investigations by Forest Watch Ghana, Wacam, National Forest Forum Ghana and Kasa Initiative confirm that Exton Cubic Group, a company with close relations to the seat of power has been granted a permit to mine in the Tano Offin forest reserve located in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region. Civil society organisations (including Civic Response) call on the President to intervene.

Current legislation, in many respects, is inconsistent with the intent of the Forest and Wildlife Policy of 1994, inadequate and sometime conflicting.

Under the Native Authority Ordinance (1927) Traditional Authorities enjoyed recognition as landowners as they were empowered to exercise a formal native authority over lands.

The informal sector comprises small and medium enterprises that are more integrated with the household. They are either organized as individual businesses, or enterprises…