GTTIA engages Forestry Commission to bolster Industry visibility

The Ghana Timber Trade and Industry Association (GTTIA), a newly formed coalition has engaged The Forestry Commission (FC), to seek formal recognition and foster better cooperation as a major stakeholder in the timber trade.

In his welcome address, the Acting Chief Executive (AG. C.E.) of FC, Dr. Hugh Brown, welcomed the Association and stated the purpose of the gathering.

“We are here to find out more about the group, their aims, objectives and how best the Commission can assist in achieving them”, he said and thanked them for their presence.

Leading the GTTIA delegation, Acting National President Mr. Alexander Dadzie, expressed the Association’s appreciation to FC for the opportunity.

“We are here today as a unified Association to formally introduce ourselves”, he stated.

He noted that GTTIA is fully registered with the Registrar General’s Department of Ghana, and operates under a Memorandum of Understanding as an umbrella body for timber-related associations across the country.

Mr. Dadzie reiterated the association’s mission to represent the full spectrum of stakeholders in the timber value chain, from primary producers to tertiary manufacturers, and to advocate for better forest governance.

According to Mr. Dadzie, GTTIA comprises 11 associations, eight of the nine that previously formed part of the Forest Industries Association of Ghana (FIAG), and three additional associations.

He explained that the decision to form GTTIA stemmed from concerns over inadequate representation within FIAG.

Going further, Mr. Alex Dadzie listed the 11 associations that form GTTIA as: Ghana Timber Association (GTA); Furniture and Wood Products Association of Ghana (FAWAG), Ghana Sawn Timber Sellers Association (GSTSA); Wood Workers Association of Ghana; Small Scale Carpenters Associations; Domestic Lumber Trading Association of Ghana (DOLTA); Domestic Lumber Millers Association of Ghana (DOLMA); Canoe Carvers Association of Ghana; Women In Timber; Association of Handicraft Exporters, and Fishing Building Cooperative Canoe Association.

The meeting also featured remarks from Dr. Richard Gyimah and Madam Lydia Opoku, Acting Executive Directors of the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) and Forest Services Division (FSD), respectively.

They both agreed that as a public service, the Commission is ready to assist and serve them to achieve their mission, as FC’s biggest stakeholders.

Dr. Gyimah pleaded with the Association, stating, “We do not want the disagreement to affect our work, nor be caught in the middle”.

Madam Opoku encouraged open dialogue and reaffirmed the Commission’s neutral stance, emphasising the importance of clear and continuous communication.

In closing, Dr. Brown reiterated the FC’s support for the newly formed Association and praised the benefits of engaging with a unified industry voice.

“As a regulator, dealing with a coalition makes our work more efficient, especially in terms of communication and policy implementation,” he said.

The engagement session concluded with a group photo, symbolising a shared commitment to collaboration and progress in Ghana’s forestry sector.

Story by: Forestry Commission