The Concerned Timber Contractors of Ghana have issued a stern one-month ultimatum to the government, demanding immediate intervention to rescue the country’s struggling timber industry.
At a press briefing following the presentation of a petition to former President John Dramani Mahama, the group appealed to him to incorporate the timber sector into his Reset Agenda, citing its significant potential to contribute to national development and job creation.
According to the contractors, the Forestry Commission is in urgent need of restructuring.
They allege that various policies implemented by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration have led to the near collapse of the once-thriving timber industry.
The contractors lamented that the skyrocketing cost of timber, coupled with policy inconsistencies, has forced many local sawmills to either shut down or relocate operations to neighbouring countries including Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The group warned that failure by government to respond within a month would result in a massive protest.
They plan to mobilise their unemployed workers and dependents to picket at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
“In protest, we will move all timber-related equipment, sawmill machines, bulldozers, and trucks to the Ministry’s premises,” the spokesperson said.
The Concerned Timber Contractors are urging government to treat their demands as a matter of urgency, warning that the continued decline of the timber sector could result in broader economic and social consequences, particularly in rural forest-dependent communities.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
