Timber millers alarmed over rising illegal logging, warn of threat to industry survival
The Ghana Timber Millers Organisation has raised concerns over the increasing rate of illegal logging in the country, warning that the situation is severely disrupting operations and threatening the survival of businesses within the timber industry.
Speaking in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Dr Kwame Asamoah Adam, described illegal logging as a growing menace that is forcing companies to scale down production, lay off workers and struggle to meet financial obligations.
According to him, licensed timber companies operate under agreements with the Forestry Commission that allow them to harvest limited quantities of timber annually for domestic consumption and export. However, illegal loggers frequently invade legally allocated concessions to harvest timber unlawfully.
“These people have no allocated areas, but they enter legal concessions, harvest timber, and sometimes use force. Some even attack trucks transporting logs on highways and seize them,” he said.
Dr Adam noted that the problem has escalated into violent confrontations in some areas, with companies spending heavily on private security to protect their concessions. Others, he said, depend on limited military support, which is often temporary.
He identified the Western Region as one of the hardest-hit areas, revealing that some companies are no longer able to access their concessions due to the activities of illegal operators.
The impact on businesses, he explained, has been severe.
“Companies cannot operate at full capacity, so they are unable to pay workers, meet tax obligations or service bank loans. Some banks are now threatening to collapse affected companies,” he stated.
Dr Adam further disclosed that a significant portion of illegally harvested timber is transported to neighbouring Sahel countries such as Mali and Chad, depriving Ghana of revenue and undermining regulatory enforcement efforts.
He also alleged that some local communities and landowners support illegal loggers in exchange for immediate cash payments instead of waiting for long-term royalties from licensed firms.
Meanwhile, the Forestry Commission says it is intensifying efforts to combat illegal logging through stricter enforcement and implementation of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing system.
The Executive Director of the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD), Dr Richard Gyimah, revealed that Ghana has so far issued about 500 FLEGT licences covering timber exports valued at approximately €14.3 million, representing around 22,500 cubic metres exported mainly to European Union markets.
He explained that the FLEGT system, established under Ghana’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union, is aimed at ensuring that only legally sourced timber enters the European market.
“So far, the system has helped to ensure that exporters comply with all legal requirements, from obtaining valid harvesting permits to meeting social responsibility obligations with forest fringe communities,” he said.
Dr Gyimah added that timber companies are required to comply strictly with regulations governing harvesting, transportation, processing and export activities.
He said the Forestry Commission currently operates the Ghana Wood Tracking System, which allows authorities to monitor the timber supply chain from harvesting to export, supported by regular field audits to verify compliance on the ground.
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