He said subsequently, the government, through the ministry, had intensified law enforcement and deployed Rapid Response Teams of the Forestry Commission, supported by the Ghana Armed Forces, to clamp down on illegal activities in Forest Reserves and Wildlife Protected areas across the country.

"Reconnaissance, prospecting and exploration activities in Forest Reserves remain suspended, while there continues to be a ban on the harvesting, trading, export or import of Rosewood," he told Parliament.

He was responding to a question by the Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mohammed Adams Sukparu, as to what steps his ministry was taking to prevent the dwindling natural forest timber resources and the reduction in the forest resources base of the country.

The minister said the ministry was implementing the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan to ensure that timber on the domestic markets was sourced, processed and marketed.

On the legislation on Wildlife Resource laid before the House, he pleaded with his colleague MPs to expedite action on the Bill to strengthen the enforcement measures. 

"Mr Speaker, while taking these measures to protect the existing forests, we continue to pursue our aggressive afforestation and reforestation agenda to restore our degraded forests and increase the country’s forest estate.” 

"Under the Ghana Forest Plantation Strategy, for example, over 690,000 hectares of forest have been cultivated between 2017 and 2022, far in excess of the forest cultivated in 53 years between 1963 and 2016," he said.

Mr Jinapor said the Strategy was being implemented, in addition to several others such as the Green Ghana Project, under which over 40 million trees had been planted in the three years of implementation. 

He expressed appreciation to the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and members of the House, and the entire nation for the support the ministry continued to receive on each Green Ghana Day. 

The minister pleaded with Ghanaians to continue to nurture the trees and ensure they reach maturity. 

Other measures

Mr Jinapor said other initiatives being implemented included the Cocoa and Forest Initiative (CFI), which sought to halt deforestation associated with cocoa production.

The minister announced that last year, the country's timber and timber products export increased significantly, generating €153,861,837.67.