Wood workers angry over importation of chairs

The Wood Workers Union of Ghana has condemned the importation of new parliamentary chairs from China and said the action demonstrated mistrust in the ability of Ghanaian wood designers to produce same or even better quality ones.

It also portrayed a betrayal of the government’s true commitment to the quest to patronize locally-made goods to promote the growth and development of local industries

Mr Reynolds Debrah, National President of the Union, told a news conference in Kumasi that he wondered what had changed when it was local wood companies that designed and produced the old chairs in Parliament, the ceremonial seats of the President, the Vice President, the Chief Justice and the Speaker of Parliament.

He said the union would manufacture and donate free of charge five of the same chairs both in design and quality.

The move is to reassure the government, the people of Ghana and the entire world that Ghanaian local wood designers had the technical competencies and capabilities to manufacture durable, stylish and comfortable chairs for Members of Parliament in Ghana in record time.

Mr Debrah said Ghanaian wood workers had made it before and were even more capable now than ever to produce any type of furniture to befit the status of Parliament and all other state organizations in the country.

He said whiles the government must be seen to lead the way by buying and using made in Ghana goods, parliament had gone ahead to import chairs from China when local industries could do same or better.

“What Parliament has done, an indication of the brazen hypocrisy of government is also widely seen as preaching virtue and practicing vice”, Mr Debrah said.

Mr Debrah said it was through a deliberate policy and support of the Chinese government that local industries in that country had been able to develop and grow to produce the kind of goods they are now exporting to many other countries.

“Ghanaian local companies can do the same if they are given the needed support from the government. The indignation and contempt with which state institutions were treating local industries must stop now”, he said.

He said Parliament Houses the world over, are fitted with items and furniture designed to reflect the cultural, traditional and historical heritage of its people.

He appealed to the ministries of Trade and Industry and Lands and Natural Resources to revive the Ghana International Furniture Exhibition (GIFEX) to showcase the Ghanaian craftsmanship in wood designs for all to see.