The ecosystem is perhaps the most ignored subject in our part of the world. The ignorance for this critical subject is the reason why only state agencies such as the Forestry Commission and others are enforcing the ban on the harvesting, transportation and exportation of rosewood in the country, including the protection of our flora in general.
We have poured out our hearts on this matter before with little or no reversal of the rampant raping of our forest cover.
Rosewood trees which have taken ages to reach the stage they are today are targeted with the ferocity drug pushers exhibit when working on their narcotic consignments.
Sadly residents in the areas where the trees abound look on, perhaps because of their lack of understanding of the implication of the rape.
The Lands Ministry has warned those perpetuating the forest degradation act that a ban placed on the rosewood harvesting and export will remain in force until further notice.
It is mind-boggling that petitions have been sent to the ministry by stakeholders pleading to have the ban lifted.
We have our forest resources especially the endangered ones to protect and this is just what the ministry and the Forestry Commission is doing currently.
We would be displaying unpardonable irresponsibility when we fold our arms and allow the perpetual rape of our forests.
Our forests have suffered too much rape by charcoal producers; allowing other players such as exporters to join in the loot would deal a near irreversible blow to the state of our ecosystem.
Some animal species are on the verge of extinction as a result of the unbridled harvesting of trees we did not plant anyway. The practice is threatening our water sources and adding to the global weather challenge and its attendant drawbacks.
Global warming is about the world of which our own Ghana is a part. To think that the subject is a mere academic exercise is to exhibit crass ignorance for which we shall pay dearly.
We should not sit down for this negative development to dawn on us. We are already suffering the fallouts of our poor management of our environment in the form of extremes of weather.
A few days ago, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology endorsed a locally produced herbal mixture. There are many more plants in the forests yet to be discovered for their efficacy in treating some diseases. Such plants would have no chance of surviving the rampage of tree hunters.
How many times have we pondered over the effects of the continuous felling of timber species on our environment?
The notion about a God-endowed, inexhaustible forest cover, even as we continue to plunder the flora the way we are doing today with modern gadgets like chainsaws at our beck and call, is a mark of ignorance about science and nature.
An addition to the existing enforcement regime would go a long way in helping us protect the forests more effectively.
Educating locals about forests and why they must be protected is necessary because it would have people appreciating what is at stake; such persons would do the right thing without compulsion.
School children in especially forest areas must be taught the importance of trees and why we must all as stakeholders protect them.
Getting traditional authorities involved in the war against the degradation of our flora and fauna would be a great way of dealing with the efforts.
Protecting the endangered flora and fauna is now a global trend and Ghana as a component must play her part sincerely.