The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Clement Apaak has blamed the government for the constant smuggling of Rosewood in the country.
The MP on Eyewitness News indicated that officials from key government institutions including the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources have been facilitating the illegal harvest and transportation of Rosewood across Ghana.
“Our laws recognize that because these species are endangered, it should not be harvested …and yet it continues to be harvested and exported illegally in spite of the current ban and I do not blame the Chinese. I blame the government. I blame the Forestry Commission, I blame the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, I blame the Police, I blame those who work at the ports because this should not be happening and it is happening because our people have been compromised and they are allowing our forest to be compromised for greed,” he said.
A Chinese woman, Helena Huang was arrested on Tuesday in Tamale for attempting to smuggle four containers of Rosewood.
The Police say they intercepted two trucks in Tamale loaded with two containers of rosewood belonging to the Chinese national.
According to the Northern Regional Police crime officer, Superintendent Otuo Acheampong, Helena Huang failed to produce her passport and other documents to show that she legally acquired the products.
“Our officers at one of our barriers in Tamale intercepted two trucks loaded with four containers of rosewood and informed the command. The exhibits were escorted to the police station and preliminary investigations indicated that one Chinese lady, Helena Huang claimed she is the owner of the rosewood and was escorting the product to Tema. Our initial investigation also established that she did not have enough measurement and conveyor certificate as well as a lumber inspection.”
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in March directed the Forestry Commission to ban the harvesting of Rosewood in the country earlier this year.