Sawmills directed to allocate lumber to local markets

Takoradi, Aug. 6, GNA- Minister of Lands and Forestry, Prof Dominic Fobi has directed all sawmills in the country to allocate 20 percent of lumber they produce to the local wood markets.

He gave the directive when he met wood sellers at Kokompe, near Takoradi, on Tuesday as part of his two-day official tour of some timber firms in the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolis.

Prof Fobi's directive followed a complaint by the wood sellers that sawmills had not been supplying them with lumber for sale on the local markets and this compelled them to go after lumber from chainsaw operators.

They claimed that some few sawmills supplied them with lumber, which is rejected and could not be used for furniture or for roofing. Prof Fobi, therefore, charged the Chief Executive of Timber Industry Development Division to ensure that all sawmills comply with the directive.

He noted that allocation of the 20 percent lumber to the local market would ensure that carpenters and estate developers get enough quality lumber for work.

It would also help to minimize the activities of chainsaw operators who have been depleting the forest.

He said his Ministry would soon organise workshops for experts in carpentry to train them to add value to their products so that their products could be exported to neighbouring countries. Chainsaw operators would also be registered and encouraged to turn their attention to the use of off-cuts by selling them to wood carvers, charcoal burners and firewood sellers instead of allowing the pieces to go waste.