Akyawkrom-Ash, Dec 13,GNA- The Forestry Commission(FC)has been asked to draw up a comprehensive programme to link up all registered wood dealers with various sawmills where their stock of timber would be located to provide a one-stop shop for lumber sales to the general public. The move, which aimed at blocking all sales outlets for illegally sawn timber, is one of the pragmatic measures initiated by all stakeholders in the timber industry to find a solution to the menace of illegal chainsaw operations.

In the same vein, the Commission has also been mandated to put into operation a log Tracking or Validation of legal Timber Scheme, an European Union (EU) funded project under which the FC is expected to ensure the effective monitoring of logging, processing and export of wood products.

Mr Adjei Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Lands Forestry and Mines announced this in a speech read on his behalf at the launch of "Developing alternatives for illegal chainsaw lumbering through a multi-stakeholder dialogue in Ghana" at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juaben District on Thursday.

The launch, which took place during a workshop jointly organised by the Tropenbos International Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), Forestry Commission and the Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) for various stakeholders aims at finding a lasting solution to problems facing chainsaw operations in Ghana which has seriously affected sustainable forest management.

He noted that the activities of chainsaw operators have become a major obstacle in the country and its ban has become a source of worry and the need for various stakeholders, including researchers, saw millers, chainsaw operators and others to dialogue and solve the problem. Mr Yeboah said the Ministry has also initiated some interventions, including the accommodation of chainsaw operations under alternative livelihood programmes such as forest plantation thinning, forest boundary demarcation and clearing as well as forest plantation coppice management.

He stated that, others were the need to ensure land clearing and other related activities on the on-going National Plantation Development Programme, to assist timber companies in timber harvesting. Mr James Parker Mckeown, Coordinator of the project said it was designed to address the numerous problems involved with chainsaw operations.

He said the project developing alternatives lumbering through multi-stakeholder dialogue in Ghana is to address the negative impacts associated with chainsaw milling, whilst maintaining and enhancing its positive socio-economic effects for local and indigenous people. Mr Mckeown said the five year project is to be financed by the EU and would be implemented in eight districts in the country, namely Goaso and Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo, Juaso and Nkawie in the Ashanti Region, Kade, Oda and Begoro in the Eastern Region and Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

He stated that, the project would target stakeholders of chainsaw lumbering, particularly those directly involved and their representatives which include national government agencies dealing with forest, tax and law enforcement and district assemblies.

The Coordinator said that, the objectives of the project include reducing poverty and promoting viable livelihoods in forest-dependent communities and their occurrence of illegal logging to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forest. Professor Samuel Afrane, Dean of Faculty of Planning and Land Economy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), who presided over the function, stressed the need for the various stakeholders to put the interests of the country at heart and come out with effective recommendations to help the government and policy-makers to address the problem facing the timber industry. 13 Dec. 07