Herackles Farms illegally export 3000m3 of wood to China

A non-governmental organisation, Green Peace Africa is reporting that some 3000m3 of illegal wood left the Douala Seaport en route to Zhangjiagang, China, thanks to Herakles Farms.

The NGO blamed the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife for not taking the necessary measures to avert the exportation, although they were duly informed of the illegality of the shipment.


In a release made public yesterday, Green Peace says they checked official ports documents and they confirmed the lot that is being transferred to China, in spite of several reports they had submitted to government to report the illegal activities of the companies involved.


According to the communiqué, Herakles Farms exported the wood through its subsidiary company, UNIPROVINCE, which the NGO says has felled over 10, 000m3 commercial trees and is operating in Cameroon illegally. The multi-national company, according to Green Peace, handed the wood to UNIPROVINCE in January.


Irene Wabiwa of Green Peace, said they had sent proofs to three states counsels, on the illegal activities of the company, and complained that they seemed to have been ignored, given that no measures were taken to prevent the continuity of their illegal activities.

The NGO also stated that they had submitted a complaint to the unit in charge of the implementation of the Cameroon-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement against illegal exportation of wood from Cameroon.


The Asia and East regional office of Green Peace, the press release stated, took upon itself to take the struggle beyond Cameroon to China, where they urged the government to carry out investigations on the company importing the wood.


They realised that the wood would easily get into China because the country does not have any laws that prohibit the importation of illegal wood.


Green Peace holds that Cameroon, and the EU supposed to make sure that they both implement the agreement signed on October 6, 2010- an agreement which requires them to check the legality of wood leaving Cameroon regardless of the country to which it is being exported to.