He was speaking at the end of a two-week training programme organized for more than 500 carpenters in Kumasi. This was put together by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) with funding from the Skills Development Fund (SDF). Held under the theme “Capacity building in modern furniture making and entrepreneurship”, it exposed the participants to skills in kiln drying and quality management, knock-down technology and modern panel doors production.

  They were also taught the techniques of furniture glazing and quality finishing.

  Dr. Nantogmah Attah reminded them that it could not be business as usual if they were to survive the emerging stiff competition in the wood industry, saying, they had no option but to embrace new ideas. It was therefore important they availed themselves of training programmes run by the FCTC to bring efficiency into their work.

 He described as troubling the situation where many of them lacked the capacity and technology that would make their products to meet international standards.  That, he noted, was not healthy to the growth of the wood industry, given the influx of value-added foreign products.

Dr. Nantogmah Attah said the programme was part of the effort to aid local furniture producers to bring professionalism into their work. He advised the participants to put into practice, what they had been taught to enhance their operation.

Mr. Yaw Logah, Chairman of the Anloga Small Scale Carpenters Union, said it would continue to collaborate with COTVET to train its members on modern furniture making techniques.