GIFEX '85 opens
Poku Adaa
Our correspondent Poku Adaa at the Trade Fair Site, Labadi, Accra reports on the opening ceremony and exhibits on display.The 1st African Exhibition for the Furniture and Woodworking Industry, codenamed GIFEX '85, opened at the Ghana International Trade Fair Site in Accra on Saturday April 6, 1985. The ceremony for the official opening was performed by the PNDC member, Mrs Susannah Alhassan on behalf of the Chairman of the PNDC. In her opening address she expressed govern- ment's concern over the indiscriminate destruction of forest trees which may disturb the country's ecology and accelerate the pace of desertification. She called on timber operators to protect Ghana's forests by making use of lesser known species of wood.
Finally, she expressed her hope that foreign exhibitors will find areas of co- operation and partnership to boost the country's export potential. Other government officials who addressed the opening ceremony were the Deputy Secretary for Land & Mineral Resources, Mr F. Ohene-Kena, the Secretary for Trade, Mr Ben Caiquo and the chairman of the planning committee of GIFEX '85, Mr A.A. Adomako.
After the opening of the wooden en- trance to the African Pavilion with a purpose-made giant wooden key, Mrs Alhassan and her entourage toured the various stands.
Outside the fair grounds, the crowds were surging to watch a colourful display of music and dance. The Police Band, various Arts Council folk groups and a team of comedians heralded what promised a week of business and fun.
In a press statement titled 'Ghana - Woodworking Capital Of Africa' re- leased to coincide with the opening ceremony, the GIFEX '85 secretariat gave a historical background to the wood industry in Ghana. It said "with some 33,000 miles of forests, Ghana has been a major source of tropical hardwoods for world markets, with an efficient logging and milling sector and fully integrated veneer and plywood mills". The release said "today about 30 large factories employing over 100 workers each are in operation, equipped with modern machinery and using the most up to date technology".
With some 33,000 miles of forests, Ghana has been a major source of tropical hardwoods for world markets, with an efficient logging and milling sector and fully integrated veneer and plywood mills.
It admitted that while today, the industry has been mainly oriented towards the domestic market, the Fair is aimed at developing export markets for its continuing expansion to exceed the present £2 million exports level to other countries. The GIFEX '85 secretariat is aware of the export potential of knock-down furniture and components for the building and construction industry and is hoping the fair will bring out co operation in looking for advanced woodworking machinery and equipment.
AT THE FAIR
As at Monday, April 8, most of the local exhibitors had mounted their stands, while few of the foreign exhibi- tors, were yet to display their wares, most of which, according to reliable sources close to the secretariat, were still being cleared from the Tema Harbour. Public attendance over the holidays was moderate due to the holiday season with the Labadi beach near to the Fair site attracting thous ands of holiday makers from the Fair. However, it is believed the rest of the week would see major business activi- ties surging up. According to the organisers, the professional side of the Fair would be emphasised while general public advisers would be limited to some extent.Of the 140 local exhibitors, the majority are displaying office furniture, furniture components, living and bedroom furniture. Quite a few have come up with original designs while most appear to be displaying work that appear to be copy-cats from foreign catalogues. In fact, some of the show room exhibits are not different from major departmental stores in London, for instance, with the upholstery designs and colours just like one will
The Timber and Transport Company of Ahinsan, Kumasi, exhibited beautiful sets of bamboo-based living room chairs that were beautiful and appeared durable with a sofa, three chairs a centre table and a set of four coffee tables all costing around C60,000.00. Most of the smaller companies are fairly new businesses with little exposure to international market- ing and management expertise and it is these groups who hopefully will benefit from the Fair.
About six big companies have lines of export markets for which they are seeking expansion, notably the Modern Furniture Company Ltd, the Ghamaso Company from Mim in Brong Ahafo and a few others.
There were a couple of milling companies which produce some timber, plywoods, wood profiles and so forth with the AEAS company and the Mim Timber Company appearing the leaders in this area.
The building industry being given a new line of approach with first and foremost the Dupane Wood Preserva- tion Company Ltd of Accra using pressure-treated wood to construct an all-wood four bedroomed house, which attracted lots of visitors to the fair. The company also produces treated wood for railway sleepers, silos, sheds, etc. There were a lot of stands showing wooden louvres with improved designs and durability and find in most European city stores. security safety catches and public admiration for these are tremendous.
In the area of wooden products as ornamental and artifacts, the range was fantastic. The exhibits are of high quality and standard. The Osei Nkansah Trading Agency in Accra has bamboo flower vases and planters, a beautiful bamboo calendar, ashtrays and kitchen utensils. Happily the Export promotion council has "adopted" this company to assist it promote her export markets.
The commercial unit of the Forest Products Research Institute, Forsearch production unit, has beautiful house- hold items, lamp stands, trays, trolleys, bowls, saucers, etc, made out of bonded wood species. In the same line of business are the Joinery Depart- ment of the Catholic Resettlement farm, the Saflio Sculpture company and many others.
In other developments, the Oforikrom Furniture shop from Kumasi are displaying coffins costing €50,000 each. Such superb designs and craftsmanship that sets you wondering whether a corpse will ever rot in such a box. The interior is soft padded on a spring base against a velvet and tafetta decoration below a swing glass see-through inner cover. What a coffin!
The Centre for Cultural Studies of the UST, Kumasi, specialises in the manufacture of musical instruments and their exhibits of various kinds of drums were creative and just too good.
In the area of machinery, there were a few foreign companies from Europe, USA, USSR displaying quite a wide range of machinery assisted by scores of local efforts. DANAFCO, a well- known company in Accra is exhibiting wood bendsaw blades and sawmilling equipment on behalf of her partners from Sweden. The Madebros company of Brazil, the Blackware & Sons, the Blackood Hodge, and the Zuckerman Vienna of Austria are just a few. One local company displayed heavy trucking and vehicles used in the two cigarette manufacturing companies. Food was plenty mostly flour based foods by local Accra bakeries and restaurants.
The Fair got underway smoothly. Telex, telephone, electricity and water facilities are excellent. Sanitation generally is good. First Aid and Hospital Services are OK. Transport to the Fair is a problem and as I write this despatch, the organiser and the TUC are working feverishly to ease the problem of transport.
Oil racket men jailed
Five Greeks who have been part of an international conspiracy of selling oil national embargo have been jailed by a court in Piraeus, Greece.The men, shipping four seamen and a part in what the prosecution described as the biggest act of piracy in marine history the scuttling of a Liberian registered tanker, Salem, in 1980 off the coast of Senegal after its $56 million cargo of oil from Kuwait and belonging to Shell International had been sold to South Africa. The ship's agent Piraeus Nicos Mitakis, alleged to be the mastermind, was sentenced to 11 years for embezzle- ment, insurance fraud and instigating the scuttling. The others, a second mate, radio officer and two engineers, were given terms of from two to four were acquitted.
During the three-week hearing it was alleged that the Salem affair was part trade as "topping". It was worked out between oil company employees trying to smuggle oil into blacklisted countries such as South Africa, and officials manning the gauges at loading terminals in the Gulf, who were out for extra rewards. The terminal officials would pump into a company's tankers greater quantities of oil than had been ordered or paid for. In due course, the extrat quantities added up to the equivalent of a shipload.
At that point the company would buy that quantity of oil from the Gulf with a trusted crew. The oil would be dis- charged secretly at a port of the black- listed recipient. Then the ship would be to its ostensible destination. There with the connivance of the company con- trolling the shore tanks, it would discreetly discharge the water
In this way, the company books were in order, and there was no evidence that the embargo had been broken.
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Sekondi-Takoradi Association (United Kingdom) GENERAL MEETING Methodist Church Quex Road Kilburn London NW6 4.30pm prompt on SATURDAY APRIL 27
Buses: 16, 32, 8, 28 and 31
Nearest Underground: Kilburn, Kilburn Park British Rail: Kilburn High Road, Brondesbury Park
All are cordially invited
R.S.V.P.
01-640 9920 Secretary
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