DOLTA calls for supply of legal lumber

Mr Afreh Boakye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Domestic Lumber Trade Association of Ghana (DOLTA), has called for a waiver of taxes on import wood, to ensure the supply of the domestic market with sustainable wood at prices that would meet the pockets of ordinary Ghanaians.

He urged government and other stakeholders to come together to ensure that the domestic lumber market was adequately supplied with lumber to enable them meet the demand of the local market.

He said the country had a deficiency in timber now, and if the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) signed between Ghana government and the European Union, should start by the first quarter of next year, the domestic lumber market was likely to suffer greatly since most of the wood used on the local market were from the illegal chainsaw operators.

Mr Afreh made the call at a two-day consultative workshop with stakeholders and members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Forestry at Ada Foah, aimed at enhancing the supply of legal lumber to the domestic market.

He said if the VPA commenced, all woods being exported to Europe likewise the ones sold on the Ghanaian market, must come from a legal source, then the local market would be crippled.

He said to ensure that the domestic market was not found wanting, there was the need to bring on board all stakeholders in the timber sector to share ideas and prepare adequately on how to get sustainable wood for the country .

Alhaji Amadu Seidu, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Forestry, said the workshop had enhanced their capacity to be able to discharge their duties to give maximum support to the timber sector.