Reflex Eco Group – Ghana News
by Samuel Boadi (local journalist)
This Blog is sponsored by http://www.reflexecogroup.com
The UNIDO Trade Capacity Building Programme for Ghana hosted stakeholders in the wood industry to a day’s workshop in Kumasi with the aim of helping identify gaps and areas that require intervention in the wood/timber value chain and facilitate competitiveness of the industry.
The workshop was organized in collaboration with CSIR Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) for participants drawn from the private and public sectors.
The representatives came from the wood industry, academia, science associations and institutions.
“Trade in timber products contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product of Ghana and despite the availability of high quality wood species, the quality of wood and furniture products in the country is rather low,” said the National Project Coordinator of the programme for Ghana, Victor Mills in his remarks at the workshop.
“UNIDO intends to identify the main challenges and draw up activities that will add value to the industry for easy access to local and international markets.”
He added that one of the most important factors that affect value addition to wood products is the lack of an accredited testing center in the country to ensure that standards are complied with in the manufacture and processing of wood products.
He said as part of the programme, Berne University of Applied Sciences, Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering (BFH-AHB), Switzerland is partnering FORIG to upgrade and accredit its existing lab to conform to the requirements of ISO 17025:2005- General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
The first phase of the UNIDO/MOTI TCB Project assisted a number of laboratories at the Ghana Standards Authority to gain accreditation to ISO 17025:2005.
The programme also established a Certification Body within GSA (GSA-MSCS).
The Scheme is accredited to certify systems to the ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 22000: 20005.
The Swiss Government (SECO) is funding the trade capacity building programme, which is being implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).
The programme contributes to the development goal of supporting Ghana’s integration into world markets by developing a sustainable and competitive export economy compliant with trade-related standards.
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