Ghana-China Rosewood Trade: Unbridled Power in Resource Extraction

The Africa-China rosewood trade, which started as an alternative source of rosewood to the original rosewood, which was found in South Eastern Asia did so rather in a sporadic manner with its commensurated imbricated power issues. The Ghana-China rosewood trade presents a good foundation for exploring power relations in forest governance. Taking inspiration from the actor-centred power (ACP) approach and based on empirical research conducted in Ghana in 2022, the study explores the different power strategies the actors in the Ghana-China rosewood trade deployed in the rosewood trade. The study broadly responded to the question of what has been the influence of power in governing the forest in the era of the Ghana-China rosewood trade. The findings of the study revealed that the three core elements of actor-centred power, coercion, (dis-)incentives, and dominant information, were at play in the Ghana-China rosewood trade. Different actors, in different instances, either played the role of potentate or subordinate. The study reveals that forest-fringed communities are not always powerless, as they can be powerful (potentate) with coercive force in flouting state rules in pursuit of their forest needs. It is clear from the study, that in the absence of well-laid structures in administering power, abuse is inevitable. In terms of originality, this paper contributes to the literature on the actor-centred power approach, provides empirical evidence, and makes an important contribution to the power discourse in forest governance. It also shed light on the powers of transnational forces like China, vis-à-vis that of national and local power.