The District Chief Executive of Sekyere Afram Plains is in a standoff with the Forestry Commission over new licenses granted timber firms to carry out logging activities in the Ashanti Region town.

Donkor Fuseini has vowed to resist a directive by the Forestry Commission allowing some licensed timber firms to carry out logging activities in his district.

According to him logging activities by timber company could endanger the precarious forest and wildlife reserves in the district.

He told Joy News that there has been a total ban on timber activities in the district for many years and he does not understand the reason behind the Forestry Commission’s move to grant the logging license.

Donkor Fuseini is also blocking logging activities in his district because, according to him, there are no concrete plans to ensure that new trees are re-planted to replace those that would be felled.

He told Joy News he is consulting with the Forestry Commission and other stakeholders on the way forward.

“Until we complete a process of consultation with the Forestry Commission and traditional leaders and we are able to identify every company that owns a concession in our area so that we can hold them to task when they cut down trees…we will not able to [make headways]”, he told Joy News.

Ghana and the EU recently signed Voluntary Partnership Agreemnent in November 2009 to address the problem of illegal logging and trade in associated timber products.

The VPAs with the EU helps to improve forest governance and promote trade in legal timber products.

Illegal mining and illegal logging activities has endangered Ghana’s forest cover.

Currently, forest reserves including the Supuma, Subri, Bonsa, Upper Wassaw, Apamprama, Desin, Oda, Atiwa, are being degraded at an alarming rate due to illegal mining.