Govt urged to resuscitate timber industry

Takoradi, Mar 3, GNA - Mr. Alex Bonney, Chairman of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), on Friday called on the government to resuscitate the country's timber industry.

He made the call at a meeting with Western and Central Regional Council members of the Timber and Wood Workers Union at Takoradi. Mr. Bonney said the government should come out with incentives including tax holidays for the industry to protect jobs. He said many timber companies were complaining about taxes and levies imposed the government, which increased the cost of production and prices.

Mr. Bonney said the companies were also complaining about lack of raw materials and concessions and appealed to the government to take a second look at the level of taxes and levies on timber companies.

Mr. Bonney also urged the government to put measures in place to protect and sustain the country's timber resources. Mr. Joshua Ansah, General Secretary of the Union, said the Union was educating its members on the problems facing the industry, but warned that "Employers should not take advantage of the problems to lay off workers at will".

He said employers and workers in the industry should respect their collective bargaining agreements and the country's labour laws. The General Secretary advised workers in the industry to change their attitude to work and to avoid laziness and absenteeism. He urged timber companies to go into mass forestation programmes and said the union had a 240 hectare forestation project at Kokoago near Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Mr. Joe Aikins, Principal Industrial relations Officer of the Union, said although the timber industry was facing a lot of operational difficulties, some companies pay their workers at the end of every month.

He said some companies were taking undue advantage of the situation to "Prolong the payment of the monthly pay". Mr. Aikins advised workers against unnecessary strike actions and urged them to be very cautious, exercise restraint and to follow the laid down procedures.