CSOs to strengthen accountability in forestry sector

Fifteen civil society representatives are currently participating in a training program aimed at monitoring timber legality audits and enhancing accountability in Ghana’s forestry sector. This five-day workshop, initiated on Wednesday, is being organized by the Forestry Commission in partnership with EcoCare Ghana to tackle information voids, eliminate regulatory loopholes, and promote transparency in forest management.

The participants are set to serve as independent observers during timber audits conducted by the Timber Validation Department of the Forestry Commission, meticulously recording field observations and submitting evidence-based reports to relevant governmental bodies. Dubbed "Holding Power Accountable in Forest Governance Through Citizen Action," the workshop aligns with the Akofena Project, funded by the UK’s FCDO through its Forest Governance, Markets, and Climate (FGMC) Programme.

Spanning from November 2025 to February 2029, the project is being executed in Ghana and Liberia, with a strong emphasis on forest-fringe regions where Timber Utilisation Contracts are in effect. EcoCare Ghana, serving as the lead implementing organization, collaborates with regional partners, Civic Response in Ghana, and the Civil Society Independent Forest Monitor (CSIFM) in Liberia.

Enoch Danso Acheampong, the Project Manager of EcoCare Ghana, emphasized the necessity of independent civil society monitoring to bolster confidence in the country’s timber legality assurance system. He highlighted the potential conflicts of interest arising when government bodies responsible for enforcing forestry regulations also conduct compliance audits, potentially leading to greenwashing by international bodies while environmental realities differ significantly.

Danso stressed that CSOs would complement, not replace, statutory auditing institutions by independently observing their activities, documenting on-the-ground developments, and reporting their findings to the relevant ministries. This approach aims to fortify the Ghana Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS) and ensure that official reports accurately reflect conditions in forest communities.

Dr. Frank Ankomah, the Legal Timber Verification Manager of the Forestry Commission, expressed that the training would equip civil society actors with a deeper comprehension of the Commission’s legality auditing procedures, enabling them to meaningfully contribute to forest governance. He noted that public criticisms of the Commission’s operations often stemmed from a lack of knowledge about the processes employed by the Timber Validation Department to verify timber legality.

Ankomah explained that legal timber operations undergo electronic wood tracking and multiple layers of audits at the district, regional, and national levels to ensure adherence to forestry regulations.