Factors influencing criteria and indicators of quality control of timber and timber products in Ghana

2010

English

The timber industry of Ghana is facing many challenges which are leading to low productivity, low profits, inefficiency and subsequent collapse of some timber firms, while those operating are barely breaking even. Reasons cited for this trend in Ghana include, lack of raw materials, lack of skilled labour in specialised areas, unavailability of standards and modern technological challenges. Thus the performance of the industry in the past few years is registering decline in both volume and value. To others, the decline is attributed to lots of problems such as the continuous use of obsolete equipment, high operational cost, inconsistent policies and intense competition from the Far East Asian countries and development of substitutes apart from decline in resource base. Thus showrooms of many large and famous furniture companies are stocked with imported and inferior furniture and little of locally produced furniture. Resource management policies suggest that a sustainable way of salvaging the timber industry is by producing value added products capable of matching international competition. In order to address some of the aforementioned problems and create guidelines for the industry, there is the need for a workable criteria and indicators to guide industry. A criterion is an accepted standard used in making decisions or judgments about something or a category of conditions or processes by which sustainable quality may be assessed, which is characterized by a set of related indicators that could be employed to monitor targets periodically to assess change. Indicator measures an aspect of the criterion. A quantitative or qualitative variable which can be measured or described and which, when observed periodically, demonstrates trends and provide useful feedback and inputs for decision making apart from ensuring compliance. 4 Criteria and indicators are tools used to define, assess and monitor progress towards quality control. They list the main factors that influence the wood products quality and suggest indicators that, if measured over time, will help inspectorate and policy makers assess the extent to which productive practices are consistent with the guidelines. As it is often said, criteria and indicators are not an end in themselves; the critical thing is that they are applied, though voluntary in the timber industry, and that production is adapted accordingly so that the industry maintains the capacity to produce quality products for both domestic and international market. In Ghana, assessment and monitoring of wood products specification and quality is done by means of standards. These standards are agreements containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics, to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. Ghana is a member of International Standards Organisation (ISO), hence complies with its quality definitions. These standards are regularly, while new ones are developed to address new challenges.

Ametsitsi, G. K. D.; Kyereh, B.; Duah-Gyamfi, A.; Agyeman, V. K.