A total of 1.51 million cubic meters of natural forest timber was harvested as of the end of November, 2025, as against an annual target of 2million cubic meters.
Additionally, 208,194m3 of plantation timber was harvested over the same period.
This was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, on Monday, December 15,2025 at end of year media interaction.
He said, as at the end of October, 2025, a total of 180,021m3 of timber and timber products valued at 82.5 million Euros had been exported.
During the same period, a total of 519,887m3 of lumber valued at GHC770 million and 108,937m3 of plywood valued at GHC640 million were traded on the domestic market.
As part of efforts to tackle illegal logging and chainsaw operations across the country, the Forestry Commission, during the year, deployed the Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to illegal timber operations hotspots to support efforts of the Forest District teams. Additionally, in April, the Commission introduced stringent measures to regulate the disposal of confiscated logs and timber, resulting in a significant reduction in volumes of illegal lumber on the local market.
He said illegal logging related fatalities have been recorded this year in some of “our” forest reserves in the Bono and Western North regions, where clashes between armed thugs and timber concession guards resulted in the death of five concession guards, with eight suffering various degrees of injury in the Krokosua Hills and Mpameso forest reserves.
“Additionally, a committee was set up to review the numbers, locations and operations of the various Forestry Commission checkpoints across the country.
The Committee’s report has been submitted, and the recommendations will be reviewed by management and implemented to streamline our checkpoint operations, which have raised concerns among some sections of the public,” he stated.
He said during the year, Timber Stumpage fees were reviewed through multi-stakeholder engagement involving Government (FC, MLNR,OASL), the private sector and the National House of Chiefs to ensure that landowners receive fair returns from the Issuance of FLEGT License.
By Benjamin Aidoo
