Ghana is at risk of spending millions of cedis on timber imports as 75 out of 100 local timber manufacturing companies have collapsed due to continuous forest destruction caused by bushfires.
The remaining 25 companies, located in the Western North, parts of the Eastern, and Central Regions, are struggling to secure raw materials for production, raising fears of their imminent closure.
Dr. Kwame Asamoah Adam, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Timber Millers Organisation, highlighted these concerns in an interview with Citi Business News.
“In terms of the numbers, most medium to large-sized companies have collapsed. From a figure of about 100 companies, only about 25 are still surviving, operating, exporting, and providing employment,” he said.
He further elaborated on the reduction in raw material availability, noting, “The quantity of round logs has decreased from about 1.2 million m³ around 20 years ago to just about 500,000 m³. This significant reduction in raw materials is primarily due to a decline in production areas.”
