FLEGT-VPA, a pursuing goal for the FC

Timber companies have been urged to welcome capacity building exercises on FLEGT compliance. According to Mr. Agyemeng Premphe of the forestry commission, the FC is earnestly working to make FLEGT licensing a reality in Ghana and thus, companies who fail to comply would be found wanting. He said, from the onset of FLEGT-VPA discussions and implementations, industry has been sitting on the fence with the assumption that, ‘FLEGT licensing would never be a possibility in Ghana.
“I can say for a fact that, FLEGT is a pursuing goal for the FC; so industries, gird yourselves”. Mr. Agyemang Prempeh said this at a project mid-term review meeting organized by the Nature and Development Foundation (NDF).

The meeting which reviewed the FAO, EU, Sweden Sverige and UKaid funded project, “Innovation for improved forest governance in west Africa: Demand and supply side solutions in a changing landscape” had in attendance; medium scale timber companies who have been receiving training on FLEGT compliance through the project, other sister civil society organizations who have been implementing similar projects, representatives of the EU, representatives of the charted institute of building, GREDA, Contractors association of Ghana, and representatives of the Forestry Commission.

Mr. Glen Asomaning (The operations Director of NDF) stated that, the project is multi country and will be implemented The project, which has been running for one year now has an objective to increase capacity building of industries whiles promoting market transformation that increases the supply of and demand for legal timber through procurement initiatives, business to business engagement and support measures to increase supply of legal timber.