TWEAN says ban on wood export has regulated industry

Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria (TWEAN) has said since the ban on wood export from Nigeria was lifted last year by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild fauna and Flora (CITIES), Nigeria wood industry has become highly regulated and creating increased economic activities in the sector.

Speaking to newsmen on the development recently, the General Secretary of TWEAN, Mr Joe Odiase, said since the ban was lifted last year, coupled with government’s proactiveness to grow the sector, more furniture manufacturing companies are coming into the wood industry.

Odiase disclosed that the sector currently engages about five million Nigerians in the value chain of the wood processing industry, adding that more could still be done if the policies guiding the sector are fully implemented.

He also said the Minister of Environment has met with several stakeholders in the wood industry so as to ensure every stakeholder is carried along in the process of growing the industry.

He said, “The Minister of Environment has had several stakeholders’ meetings with saw millers, with exporters, with local furniture makers and also visited the management of the Nigeria Customs Service to discuss the ease of exporting wood.

“You cannot export without specifications from the ministry. You cannot export without contributing to the afforestation programme of government, which is also contained in the policy guidelines on wood export.

“President Bola Tinubu has brought about policies that have allowed the industry to flourish because after six or more years of suspension and with the economic situation of the country, over five million Nigerians have got engaged in the wood value chain.”

Odiase also stated that with the current policy guidelines, the industry is expected to boom in no time and contribute to economic growth of the nation.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the wood industry are apprehensive that some government officials at the Ministry of Environment are trying to truncate the progress so far recorded in the sector, adding that any move toward that direction will spell doom for the sector.

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