Photo: Greenpeace International

Logging destruction.

In the wake of the hullabaloo that roughly defaced relations between the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the Liberia Timber Association (LTA), the FDA has been urged by the Senate to lift its sanctioned placed on the LTA for use of the Private Use Permit (PUP). The Senate recently mandated its Committee to probe the matter.

It was in fact the FDA in 2006 that contractually signed logging operations with the LTA in consistence with National Forestry Reform Law. But the Senate Joint Committee has resolved the matter with a recommendation, that the FDA "immediately" restores to the LTA said permits. The Committees comprised of Forestry & Fishery and Judiciary, Claims Petitions & Human Rights.

From findings, members of the Committee established that FDA retrieved from the Liberia Timber Association the use of the PUP and immediately halted...activities and operations of the holders thus impairing said rights. According o the LTA, the action by the FDA was not only illegal as per the terms conditions and provisions of the PUP..., it however harbored heavy financial burden for members of the timber association, something the association denounced as an effective venture to enhance the unemployment situation in the Country.

On August 9th 2012, a letter by the Timber association which called for the Senate intervention, was read in full plenary with a conclusion that the body mandates its responsible Committees to investigate and resolve the matter. To get an insight into the case, the Committees sought the views of experts inclusive with the solicitation of comments from the Global Witness, Save My Future Foundation and the Sustainable Development Institute regarding the matter.

The Senate Committee concluding from a exhaustive probe, observed that despite the situation, it was in fact the FDA that issued by the permit and than signed said individual "contracts by and between the holders and the locals,...there is no provision in the National Forest Reform Law that authorized the FDA to cancel and/or suspend at will these contracts or any of them without allowing the legal process to take its course."

FDA, however, did not show to the Committees anywhere in the provisions that were violated by the holders...but only suspended the permits because "a letter were written to the President alleging violations and fraud by Global Witness and other NGOs".

The recommendation by the Joint Committees called on th FDA to reinstate the permits and restores the rights of operation of the Liberia Timber Association with immediate effect.