Service Charter – Service Standards

OUR SERVICE STANDARDS:
We promise to maintain the standards in the table below:


Service
 Standard
Correspondence & Reports
Phone calls to the FC receptionThe pick time for calls at the switchboard will be 30 seconds but in any case not exceeding three (3) rings.
Customers at the FC receptionCustomers will be served speedily and handled with respect
All mailed or faxed correspondence requiring a response.Acknowledged within seven (7) working days of receipt.
E-mails correspondenceAcknowledge within (5) working days and address within fourteen (14) days of the date of receipt.In cases when officer is not in office, E-mails shall be auto-replied indicating when officer returns to office.
Technical and complex enquiriesAcknowledge receiptwithin two working days and responding within seven (14) working days.
Walk-in service.Customers will be served excellently and told the expected waiting time.
Customers on appointmentTo be attended to speedily and promptly
Forest and Wildlife Policy, regulatory, management, operational and  advisory informationInformation to be provided in periodic reports to the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines and other stakeholders on request and also as and when needed.
Information on Forest and Wildlife development  statisticsAnnual reports containing all vital statistics prepared and circulated within 6 months of year’s end

Permits & Licenses
Permit for harvesting of non timber forest productPermit issued within seven (7) working days of receipt of application
Permit for exporting timber and wood productRegistration, vetting and approval completed within one (1) working day of receipt of all relevant documents.
Contracts to market timber and other forest and wildlife productsVetting and registration completed within 1 working day of receipt of all required information
Conveyance CertificatesCertificate issued within 1 working day  of notification
Permits for salvaging trees and abandoned timber and wood productsPermit issued within 2 months of receipt of application
Permit for exporting live animals and wildlife productsPermit issued within 48 hours of receipt of application
Hunting PermitHunting license issued within 48 hours of receipt of application
Timber Utilization Permits for community projectsPermits issued to bona fide community projects within two (2) months of receipt of application

 Management & Operational Services
TenderingCommunicate outcome to all tender applicants within 21 days from the date of closing the tender.
PaymentsAll payments will be made in accordance with the terms of the contract.
Development and implementation of  integrated forest and wildlife management plansManagement plans shall be prepared for all forest and wildlife reserves in consultations with land owners as well as forest reserve and protected area fringe communities.
Provision of forest and wildlife expert and technical advice to stakeholdersExpert and technical advice shall be provided for a fee
Development and implementation of Timber Utilization Contract and associated Social Responsibility Agreements(SRA)Timber Utilization Contracts prepared in consultation with land owners and communities and assisted in negotiating and enforcement of the SRA.
Claim for compensation for crop damage by timber contractorsA written response to all claims within 30 working days of receipt of application
Renewal of property markAll bona fide property marks renewed within 5 working days of receipt of application
Stock survey and yield allocation of productive compartmentsAll office and field work completed within 30 working days.
Registration of timber exportersRegistration of timber millersRegistration of timber buyersRegistration completed within 3 working daysRegistration completed within fourteen (14) working days.Registration completed within twenty eight (28) working days.
 Timber Utilization Contract Administration
Provide information on TUC areas available for biddingAdvertise available TUC areas  one month before prequalification
Provide Information on all TUC pre-qualified applicants and lots.Make two (2) publications each in the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times within 7 working days. This will be done two weeks after receipt of prequalification forms from applicants.
Inform and educate prospective bidders on TUC allocation processConduct briefing session for prospective bidders at most one month before the bidding day.
Conduct transparent TUC bidding processAll relevant stakeholder groups are present on the bidding day and place.
Notice of grant of TUCLetters notifying winners of the bids will be issued within 7 working days after bidding
Preparation of TUC contract documentContract document will be prepared within 7 working days after bid winners have duly fulfilled all requirements.
Collection and Disbursement of Forest and Wildlife Revenue
Collection of fees and charges for timber and other forest product harvestingAll revenue on fees and charges are collected within 30 days of billing date
Disbursement of forest revenue on reserve areas to district assemblies, traditional authorities and stool land ownersAll revenue disbursed before end of the following quarter