[ 2012-05-06 ]

MOTI to revive Assin bamboo factory
Assin Fosu (C/R), May 5, GNA – The Minister of
Trade and Industry (MOTI), Madam Hanna Tetteh has
advised Ghanaian businessmen, entrepreneurs and
wood processors to resort to the use of bamboo as
an alternative tropical wood for raw material in
the wood processing industry.

She said this when she inspected the state of the
AssinFosu Bamboo Industry, which had become
dilapidated as a result of neglect at Assin Fosu
in the Assin North District of the Central Region,
on Friday.

Madam Tetteh was accompanied by officials from the
National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI)
and Small and Medium Enterprise & Technology (SME
&T).

She noted that bamboo as a raw material for the
wood industry, will save the country's forest from
encroachers and de-afforestation, since bamboo
grows faster, compared to tropical wood, which can
sometimes take about 10 to 15years to mature for
industrial use.

Madam Tetteh said her recent visit to the Republic
of China endeared her to the kinds of products the
Chinese were using bamboo for.

She was full of praise for Mr Agborosoor Mensah, a
craftsman at the factory for working to sustain
the factory for the past 10 years.

She advised the youth of the area to avail
themselves of the opportunity of the bamboo
factory and go into that business and contribute
to national development.

Mr Agborosoor Mensah, the Manager of the factory,
said he had all the needed machinery for
processing bamboo into almost every product, from
ply boards to tooth picks, panel doors to window
blinds, bed and living room furniture, as well as
classroom furniture and many others.

He expressed concern about getting the raw
materials to sustain the business as people find
bamboo harvesting a very tedious task and fail to
continue after supplying his factory for some
time.

The Ministry should therefore, strategize to get
the factory constant supply of bamboo to boost the
business.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the area, Mr Alex
Antwi Boasiako promised to partner Mr Mensah, by
meeting the NBSSI, the SME&T and the management of
the factory to come out with a strategic document
on how to get more raw materials for the factory
as directed by the Minister.

He promised to ensure that some of the products
will be purchased and used by the municipal
assembly as well as schools in the district.

Source - GNA

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