Ahodwo, November 2, 2023 — In a significant stride towards promoting responsible, legal and sustainable timber practices in Ghana, the Domestic Timber Trade Network (DoTTNeT) was officially launched at the True Vine Hotel, Ahodwo, as part of the Restoration for Resilience and Recovery (3R) project.
T he tripartite arrangement, comprising Timber Utilization Contract (TUC) holders, Domestic Lumber Millers Association of Ghana (DOLMAG) members, and Domestic Lumber Trade Association (DOLTA) members, aims to unite stakeholders under one umbrella to facilitate the legal timber trade on the domestic market.
The launch was facilitated by the 3R project being implemented with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Forest and Farm Facility. The project seeks to establish legal and sustainable timber and forest-product value chains, creating inclusive green forest-based value chains while reducing pressure on forest resources.
Mr. Gustav Adu, the Executive Director of KWC, welcomed representatives from various timber industry stakeholders and highlighted the project's objectives. He emphasized that the DoTTNeT is expected to mirror the FLEGT licensing framework for the domestic market, establishing joint supervisory and monitoring structures involving the government and timber associations. He stated “It would be equally beneficial to implement a similar regulatory framework for trading legal timber and wood products in the domestic market, for the sake of our forests and the sustainable livelihoods of those who depend on the forest industry.”
During the event, Acting Executive Director of TIDD, Dr. Mohammed Nurudeen Iddrisu, chaired the proceedings and outlined the responsibilities and functions of the committee in piloting the DoTTNet. These include promoting business arrangements for DOLMAG and DOLTA members, enhancing trade collaborations, determining prices of timber and timber products, and resolving disputes related to domestic sales contracts.
The committee members were introduced, including Mr. Hayford Eshun, Operations Manager, Northern Sector, TIDD; Mr. Anthony Asare Partey, Chairman Ashaiman Timber Market, DOLTA; Mr. Kofi Afreh Boakye, CEO of DOLTA; Mr. Bright Owusu Sekyere, Systems and Data Reconciliation Manager, Timber Validation Department, FC; Madam Dorothy Osei Agyemang, Executive member, DOLMAG; Mr. Yaw Kumih Gyabaah, Contract and Permit Manager, TIDD; and Alhaji Issah Halidu, President, DOLMAG.
Mr. Hayford Eshun, speaking on behalf of the committee, expressed their commitment to ensuring the smooth implementation of the DoTTNeT. He highlighted their dedication to working with other timber trade associations to promote legal and sustainable timber practices, enhance trade collaborations, establish fair pricing mechanisms, and resolve disputes.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Mohammed Nurudeen Iddrisu acknowledged the support of FAO in the 3R project and expressed gratitude to KWC for partnering with TIDD to establish the DoTTNeT committee. He urged committee members to leverage their experience and knowledge to streamline timber trade for the benefit of domestic operators and the Forestry Commission of Ghana, emphasizing the need for concerted efforts to contribute to the full realization of the arrangement nationwide, especially to include all actors and groups involved in the sourcing and trading of timber in the domestic market.
Present at the launch were notable representatives, including those from the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) of the Forestry Commission, the Timber Validation Department (TVD), Domestic Lumber Millers Association of Ghana (DoLMAG), Domestic Lumber Traders Association (DoLTA), Women in Timber Ghana Association (WITG), Private Afforestation Development Organisation (PADO), Offinso Fine Flavor Cocoa Farmers Cooperative and Marketing Society (OFFCOP), Kookoo Pa Farmers Association (KKFA), the Kumasi Wood Cluster Association (KWC), and various other members from forest and timber associations.
