Jan 17, 2008. /Lesprom Network/. Sierra Leone's government has imposed a timber export ban because of what it says is indiscriminate plundering of forests by Chinese and other foreign companies, ITTO reported. There has been no official response from China to the allegations. «The ban was not indefinite and the new government, which came to power in September, was working on a new forestry policy. It will ensure that logged trees were replaced, the industry was effectively policed and communities were able to benefit», told Forestry Minister Joseph Sam Sesay. At the moment "the logs being cut are exported raw without value addition and benefit to the country", he said.