Wood Workers Call For Quota

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Members of the Apremdo-Kwesimintsim Wood Workers Association in the Sekondi-Takoradi have called on government to enforce the law on the quota supply of lumber by Sawmills to the local market.

According to the association, the policy framework for procurement and quality control of timber products in the domestic market was fragile even though section 22 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) required that only certified sawn lumber from recognized sawmills must be allowed for use in the projects of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

Members of the association alleged that currently about 84 per cent of lumber were supplied by chainsaw operators.

President of the association, Thomas Cudjoe, who disclosed these, called on government and other agencies involved to, as a matter of urgency, address the local problems involved in the domestic lumber trade.

?The inadequate lumber supply by sawmills on the domestic market must be adequately addressed. The current on the supply of lumber to domestic market must be fully enforced and adopt measures to give priority to the domestic lumber supply,? he added.

Vincent Annan, BUSAC Service Provider to the association, encourage the members to re-organize themselves and bring all fragmented groups under their umbrella in the Western region to consolidate their front.

He suggested that the association must be structured and run professionally by engaging professionals to assist heads of the association in the decision making process.

He told members at a meeting that since the timber industry had different sectors that had been affected by the limited supply of lumber to the local markets, the association should form partnership with other businesses in the industry.

This, according to him, would help achieve maximum effect in advocacy and dialogue with the government and other agencies involved in the implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

He pointed out that the low knowledge about the VPA by members of the association was likely to affect any effort to successfully negotiate with government, adding, ?The association should therefore team up with other organizations to build the capacity of its members on the agreement.?

 From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi

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