Ghana Selling Trust, Not Just Timber, Forestry Commission Tells Global Buyers in France

Dr Richard Gyimah, Executive Director of the Timber Industry Development Division of the Forestry Commission, has told global timber buyers that Ghana’s forests are more than raw material.

Speaking at the EU-Ghana Timber Trade and Investment Forum held on the sidelines of the Carrefour International du Bois (CIB) in Nantes, France, he said the country’s forests form the foundation of livelihoods, and Ghana is proving it can manage them responsibly and sustainably.

Delivering the “Ghana Forest Industry Update,” Dr Gyimah noted that global demand is shifting.

Buyers now ask not only for price and quality, but also for proof of legality and sustainable forest management.

He positioned Ghana as a country ready to meet that demand, with a forest landscape that is both vast and varied.

“The country has 1.2 million hectares of closed forest and 5.4 million hectares of open forest. Within the High Forest Zone, 1.63 million hectares are gazetted as Forest Reserves, with 715,000 hectares set aside specifically for timber production. Another 1.3 million hectares are managed as Wildlife Protected Areas.”

These forests have shaped Ghana’s economy for generations, and from 1995 to 2020, forest resources drove economic transformation.

Dr Gyimah told delegates that in 2021 the sector employed approximately 100,000 people formally, but when informal activities such as small-scale carpentry, woodcarving and charcoal production are included, an estimated 3 million Ghanaians depend on the forest value chain.

He also highlighted that 75% of Ghana’s energy needs are still met through fuelwood and charcoal, with total wood fuel consumption in 2022 reaching 2,940 ktoe.

On trade, Dr Gyimah traced Ghana’s timber export story of change.

“In 2000, timber and forest products made up about 11% of total export earnings. By 2022 and 2023, that figure had dropped to about 1%, yet the value remains important in Ghana’s commodity trade. Timber export earnings in 2024 stood at €123.4 million. To strengthen competitiveness, Ghana is now focusing on value addition and encouraging the use of lesser-used timber species.

“As of the first quarter of 2026, 525 businesses were registered with the Forestry Commission, including 51 large-scale wood processors, 325 small-scale processors, 29 export trading firms and nine large furniture manufacturers. To sustain supply, Ghana has developed about 400,000 hectares of plantations, with 340,000 hectares in the public sector and 60,000 hectares in the private sector.

“The annual allowable cut from production reserves is capped at 1 million cubic meters of natural timber, plus about 300,000 cubic meters from plantations.

The turning point in Dr Gyimah’s presentation was Ghana’s Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS), developed under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

“Built over years through inclusive stakeholder engagement and backed by legislative instruments, TLAS made Ghana the first country in the West African sub-region, after Indonesia globally, to issue FLEGT licenses since October 2025. So far, about 626 licenses have been issued to cover timber exported to 19 European countries. Every shipment of Ghanaian timber destined for the EU now carries a FLEGT license.

“The licenses carry security features including Forestry Commission watermarks, system-generated numbers, seals and stamps, and record HS codes, product descriptions, volumes and importer details. For CITES-listed species, validation happens alongside the license. In the near future, geolocation data will be included to meet EU Deforestation Regulation requirements, and discussions are ongoing to add QR codes for quick verification.”

Supporting TLAS is the Chain of Custody system powered by an Electronic Wood Tracking System that traces timber from the forest, through mills, to the point of export and domestic markets. It reconciles wood flows with documentation at every step, creating a country-wide database on producer compliance.

“The beauty of TLAS is that it goes beyond issuing a license,” Dr Gyimah said. “It strengthens institutional coordination, improves forest management, and ensures benefits flow to local communities through social infrastructure and jobs.”

On lessons from FLEGT implementation, Dr Gyimah stressed the need for clear guidelines and manuals for all actors, an industry portal to guide companies on compliance, and a transparency portal for public and civil society monitoring.

Regular training and engagement with stakeholders have also proven essential.

He emphasised that Ghana’s FLEGT process is transformational and has built confidence and global acceptance because it is rooted in the internationally recognised Ghana-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement and complements forest certification and new regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation.

Closing his presentation, Dr Gyimah reiterated that Ghana is not just selling timber; it is selling trust.

With seven principles embedded in its legal timber standard, from verification of the source of timber through harvesting operations, transportation, processing and fiscal obligations, Ghana has built a loop for continuous learning involving government, the private sector and civil society.

“The Ghana FLEGT process needs to be valued and recognised because it delivers more than legality. It delivers sustainability and a future where forests and people thrive together,” he concluded.

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