GHANA TO IMPORT WOOD FROM CAMEROON

-

Logs from the forest
Ghana will very soon import wood from Cameroon for the construction industry.

This is in view of the fast depletion of the forest cover and forest resources including tree species. 

The decision to import wood from neighbouring countries is also to help preserve and protect the remaining natural resource.

The Industry Manager of the Timber Industry Development Division of the Forestry Commission, Peter Zomelo disclosed this at the opening of a two-day trainer of trainers workshop for Procurement Officers of the Regional Coordinating Councils and Municipal and District Assemblies, in Kumasi. 

The workshop aimed at empowering the over 40 participants with information on the Public Procurement Policy of Timber and Timber Products and its Guidelines. 

The Policy mandates that government agencies in particular should procure all wood and wood products meant for public projects from only legal sources, to discourage people from illegal logging.   

 It was organized by the Nature and Development Foundation, an NGO, with support by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the European Union and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. 

Mr. Zomelo explained that illegal logging is seriously contributing to not just forest depletion, but also environmental degradation and should be stopped.

 He noted that if procurement officers in state agencies deal only with legally registered companies, people would be discouraged from stealing from the forest reserves. 

The Technical Director in charge of Forestry at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Musah Abu Juan, said the substantial loss in Ghana’s forest cover is mainly due to human activities such as farming. 

According to him, even though people are free to farm on lands outside forest reserves, government will not look on unconcerned for some selfish individuals to illegally deplete the forest resources. 

The Nature and Development Foundation, Mustapha Seidu reminded the Procurement Officers of the key role they have to play in making the implementation of the Public Procurement Policy on Timber and Timber Products successful. 

They should therefore take the workshop very serious so as to in turn, help their colleagues to comply with the policy in their procurement of wood and wood products for public works.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JUTE FACTORY IS BACK

-
Image
the administrative block under rehabilitation At long last, the much talked about defunct GIHOC Fibre manufacturing Company popularly known as the Jute Factory, is to be back in operations very soon.  Ashanti Today can confirm that work is feverishly ongoing towards the revival of the once golden sacks manufacturing company with the first production expected in the first quarter of next year.  It is a public-private partnership with a wholly Ghanaian company, Jute Mills Ghana Limited being the operator and has already sunk about five million Ghana Cedis to revamp the company.  The Jute Factory is located within the industrial area of Kaase.  It has been on divestiture for about 20 years now with successive governments paying lip-service to revamp it.   The old machinery at main factory to be replaced soon  It is one project that is dear to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who has used almost every opportunity with business people and investors wh
Read more

THE STATE OF KUMASI'S 'INDUSTRIAL AREA

-
The once Industrial enclave of the Ashanti region within the Kumasi metropolis is fast losing its status as the nerve centre of jobs for the people.     This is due to the collapse of most of the companies in quick succession in  the last few years for various reasons. Background Industrialization was a key component of the first wholly indigenous government of Ghana led by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Ashanti region was not left out in this drive which was meant to create decent jobs for the residents, particularly the youth.  Asokwa, Ahinsan, Kaase, Atonsu and Kyirapatre were the communities that became what is known as the ‘Industrial Area’ of Ashanti from the early 60s.  The christening of this enclave as the ‘Industrial Area’ was the people’s appreciation of the numerous state and privately owned companies that were sited there.  These communities fall within present day Asokwa Constituency which is in the western part of the metropolis from the Accra d
Read more

KWAMANG SHS NEEDS URGENT HELP

-
Image
New Campus of the Kwamang Presby SHS The Kwamang Presby Senior High/Technical School in the Sekyere Central district of Ashanti needs an urgent external intervention to address some of its pressing basic needs to function very well.  A visit by Ashanti Today to the school’s premises revealed that the school does not have an administrative block to administer affairs of the school for which reason the Headmistress, the Bursar and another staff are sharing one room which has been partitioned, while the Assistant Headmaster, the rest of the Accounts staff among other administrative officers are also working from an improvised classroom. Anybody who visits the Kwamang Presby Senior High Technical school for the first time will unavoidably take it for a basic school.  This is more so when it appears to be perching on the premises of the local Junior High School as its old site.  The school is wallowing in a myriad of challenges that are seriously militating against
Read more