Boabab Market, a group of Civil Society Organizations in the Northern Region, has called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to classify rosewood, Shea, dawadawa and cashew trees under the economic tree protection Act of 1979.

The act has only cocoa as an economic tree.

According to the group, enforcing the ban will strengthen the hands of local authorities and security agencies to fight the menace.

The Boabab Market since its formation in 2017 has given a significant amount of time and attention to the issue of rosewood depletion in the country.

It will be recalled that in February 2020, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asamoah-Cheremeh, announced an extension of the ban on illegal logging.

At a press conference in Tamale, the group expressed worry over continuous illegal logging, transportation, and export of rosewood despite the ban.

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Research officer at Boabab Market, Suweidu Abdulai, said his outfit has taken notice of the extension of the ban on illegal logging indefinitely by the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.

He, however, blamed the continuous exploitation of rosewood amidst the ban on lack of commitment by government and other responsible agencies.

“The Boabab Market is therefore calling on the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to enforce the laws and make the penalties for illegal logging and trade more deterring and scary.”

Mr. Abdullah called on traditional authorities and MMDAs to mobilize and take mass action against illegal logging and trade in rosewood.