Jaksally Development Organization has called for an upward review on court fines against illegal activities that are going on in the country’s forest reserves to deter criminals. The organization said the court’s fines against people who are illegally logging rosewood, timber, commercial charcoal burning, farming, cattle ranching, in the various national forest reserves especially in the Savanna Ecological Zone are inadequate and not deterring enough. It said people continue to log irrespective of these fines an indication that it is not deterring enough.
Jaksally has been championing the fight against illegal extraction of natural resources in the Savanna Ecological Zone especially rosewood and commercial charcoal burning which it said causing forest degradation, climate change and its negative effect in the Northern parts of Ghana.
The Programme Coordinator of the organization Mr Seidu Jeremiah concerns comes in the wake of judgment by a Magistrate Court on 22 persons who were convicted for unlawful entry into the Pido forest reserve in Tumu in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region.
The court fined each person GHS 12.00 which is equivalent to 200 penalty units totalling GHS 2,400.00.
A Joint security operation on the 19 of November 2019, arrested 22 people in connection with unlawful entry, illegal logging, illegal farming, cattle ranching, and many other illegal activities at the forest reserves along Ghana, Cote Divoire and Burkina Faso borders. The 22 individuals were made up of foreigners from Burkina Faso and their Ghanaian counterparts.
Mr Jeremiah believes that these fines of GHS 12 as against a truckload of rosewood which is valued at GHS 363, 0 50.00 is not scaring enough.
He explained that “The Forestry Protection (Amendment) ACT, 2002 will provide higher penalties for offences in forest reserves which will be liable to a fine not exceeding 500 penalty units or imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or both.
Mr Jeremiah said a track load of rosewood in Kundugu, is about GHS 60,000.00 according to community members but was fine by the court GHS 2,000.00.
Mr Jeremiah believes that an upward review of these fines will save these reserves because people will stop encroaching in these forests.
Ghana has a well-established range of laws and regulations which govern its forestry sector. Chatham House reports that Ghana has made considerable efforts to protect its forest resources and curb illegal logging in recent years. These efforts have made Ghana a leader in forest management, but inconsistency, lack of transparency, and large amounts of illegal logging remain a huge challenge for the sector.
Weak law enforcement, poor domestic production standards, and a large export market have continued to drive illegal chainsaw milling which is also another challenge.
Mr Jeremiah believes that the lower courts need capacity enhancement as well as collaboration with civil society organizations and the Forestry Commission to determine the value of rosewood and other wood products before the fines are slapped against these illegal dealers.
He alleged that the MMDAs, Assembly members of the hotspot areas in the Savannah Ecological Zone are conniving with illegal loggers and also failed to disclose revenues they generated from rosewood adding that they were also charging peanuts ranging from GHS 500.00 to GHS 1000.00 per truckload worth at least GHS 300, 000.00.
Mr Jeremiah also alleged that Traditional rulers due to illiteracy, ignorance, lack of knowledge and greed also took peanuts ranging from GHS 300.00 to GHS 500.00 per truckload.
He said tribal youth groups in Damongo and Sisala West and East district were also issuing receipts ranging from GHS 200.00 to GHS1, 000.00.
Mr Jeremiah urged FC to make known the value of various kinds of wood species so that appropriate charges and fees will be taken to reduce illegalities in the forest.