Nana Akomea, the Managing Director of the State Transport Company has appealed to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to sell the confiscated rosewoods to the National Cathedral instead of donating them.
Land and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor last month announced plans by government to donate the seized items to the cathedral project.
This announcement was not well received by the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak who on the Friday, August 13 edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program said that the confiscated timber products should be used to make furniture for schools and public institutions in the districts where the trees were felled.
“The Minister goes on to announce that the confiscated five trucks of rosewood will be donated toward the construction of the National Cathedral to which I disagree. I ask whether those in charge of the cathedral project had made a request to the minister that they needed rosewood.
“If you look at the source area of these woods, they are part of the most deprived areas in the country. You have schools without furniture, CHIPS compounds without furniture. Why don’t we use the impounded rosewood and supply to the schools and other public institutions in these communities,” he said.
Nana Akomea however disagreed, noting that it will be more prudent for the rosewood to be sold to the National Cathedrals than the two proposals being made by the Lands Minister and Clement Apaak.
Nana Akomea also noted some efforts are being made to ensure that rosewood are protected.
“It looks like there is a lot effort being made to control the trade of rosewood. The export ban and international concern,” he pointed.
“If the minister is proposing to donate what has been seized and you object because you believe that due to equity issues, the areas these trees grow are poor and these resources have been depleted so if we use it on the cathedral then nothing goes back to the community. That is your worry.
“I believe you need to engage the minister on this and get the rosewood sold to the Cathedral project. There is a lot of money that is going to come to the Cathedral project and so it should be sold to them then the proceeds can be invested in those areas. They are too valuable so we can use other inferior wood resources. It can be sold at a much higher price to the cathedral,” he said.
