Civic Publications

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…

In analytical work on forest revenue and economic rent distribution, District Assemblies (DAs) are considered as part of the State and are both and classified among “forest owners”.

The industry comprises formal small independent loggers, integrated logger-processors, stand alone wood processors and formal small and medium furniture and joinery producers.

Communities are part of a rural sector that largely depends on forests for livelihoods. They include farmers and forest users. Civil Society’s presence is also recognized under this category.