03 January 2017, Lagos — THE Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria, (TWEAN), has commenced moves to industrialise wood exportation business.
The Secretary – General of the group, Joseph Odiase, said that operators in the wood export business have to add value to woods before processing them for export.
Odiase disclosed that the days of just cutting the woods from the forests and adding little value to it was gradually coming to an end.
He disclosed that the purchase of machines and other tools for cutting woods into shapes of all types are being negotiated with banks and suppliers.
He explained that when more value is added to the woods, they are sold at a much higher value.
He opined that the industrialisation of wood export will not only add value to the supply chain but also create jobs for millions of Nigerians and subsequently grow the economy.
The group’s scribe also said that some of the nation’s Banks have also signified interest in being part of the industrialisation of the wood export business by providing finance and financial advice in the acquisition of machines and tools.
It will be recalled that the group has been liaising with relevant government authorities like the Federal Ministry of Environment on how best to cut woods from the nation’s forests without causing damages to the environment.
In a bid to preserve the nation’s forests and environment, the group last embarked on a tree planting campaign with a view to arresting the menace of deforestation across the country.
The group in collaboration with some state governments have commenced the tree planting campaign starting with Ekiti and Ogun states respectively.
At the campaign in Ogun State, the Minister of Environment, Hajia Amina Muhammed disclosed that only 20 percent of the wood sourced from the nation’s forests that are exported while the remaining 80 percent are consumed locally.
*Godwin Oritse – Vanguard