GIFTEX 2008 launched

The Ghana International Furniture and Woodworking Industry Exhibition GIFTEX 2008 has been launched in Accra. The fair will take place from the 17th to the 26th of October 2008 at the Accra International Conference Centre. The fair will provide an opportunity for operators in the wood products sector to showcase their products to the international market, as well as create awareness of new trends in the industry in terms of technology. GIFEX 2008 will be taking place after a ten year break in 1997. The Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Andrew Adjei Yeboah, said government under the Forest and Wildlife policy has adopted policies aimed at sustaining efficient forest resource management. He urged players in the industry to use GIFEX to engage the informal sector, in the management of forest resources on a sustainable basis. The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Professor Ashie Kotey, noted that the Forestry Commission is committed to the revival of GIFEX and the processing of wood and wood products at the tertiary state, to enhance their value. Prof. Kotey added that it is the vision of the Forestry Commission to make Ghana the hub of wood and wood products in West Africa.