A delegation of the country’s experts yesterday held talks with MINFOF officials. Stakeholders in the wood industry in Ghana are currently in Cameroon to seek ways of partnership with their peers so as to develop the sector and boost the economies of both countries.
The 12-strong delegation led by Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mike Hammah, yesterday April 23 held discussions with officials of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF). The session gave both sides the opportunity to brief each other on what they are doing, the stakes and challenges and how to boost South-South cooperation on a win-win basis.
According to Mike Hammah, their visit has a dual-purpose - exploring Cameroon’s wood industry with the view of importing timber and promoting the Ghanaian wood experience. “We are here to explore what Cameroon has in terms of forestry and wildlife and also what Ghana can offer Cameroon in the spirit of South-South cooperation, especially in the spirit of intra-African trade,” the delegation leader said. Ghana, the delegation members said, had millions of hectares of forest but unsustainable land use practices reduced it to only about 1.5 million hectares today, forcing authorities to seek ways of reforesting degraded areas. In the proposed partnership, Ghana could buy logs from Cameroon and in turn share its reforestation experience with the country.
It emerged from the detailed presentation of the wood sector in Cameroon that the country possesses 22.5 million hectares of forest cover, including 17.5 million hectares of which is exploitable. The Ghanaian delegation also learnt that since 2000, natural forest production in Cameroon has stabilised at about 2.3 million cubic metres with minor fluctuations. Eighty per cent (1.8 million cubic metres) are processed locally.
Speaking to the visitors, MINFOF boss, Ngole Phillip Ngwese, said if only for the fact that 20 per cent of Ghanaian wood is sold to the European market against 80 per cent for Cameroon, partnership between the two countries could boost trade and reduce Cameroon’s dependence on the international market for its wood with all the possible adverse effects. Proof, the wood sector was one of the hardest hit in the country by the recent global economic meltdown. “When Ghanaian experts come as we have agreed, we will know exactly on what terms we are dealing with them on exporting our timber,” the Minister said.
