Ninety-two exhibitors would mount stands at the wood products exhibition on the Lesser Used Timber Species (LUS) to be held in Kumasi in November.

Dubbed 'Mini-Gifex-01', the 10-day exhibition is an initiative to help reduce the pressure on the country's forest and over-exploitation of the known timber species.

It is being jointly organised by the Furniture and Wood Products Association of Ghana (FAWAG) and the Small-Scale Carpenters Association (SSCA).

The Reverend Samuel K. Fugah, Co-chairman of the Mini-Gifex Planning Council, told a meeting with the potential exhibitors in Kumasi on Friday that the only way those in the wood working industry could sustain their business was to direct attention to the use of the LUS.

He said the Council was liasing with the Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) to identify the chemical properties of the LUS, the treatment and kiln drying to make it easier for the wood producers to work with.

Rev Fugah expressed optimism that the Mini-Gifex would lead to an increase in both the local and export demand for the LUS.

"In this way, we would not just be raising our production levels but be making significant contribution towards increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)".

The Co-chairman mentioned doors, windows and garden furniture; 'T and G' profile boards and floorings made from LUS like esa, essia, bonsamdua, hotrohotro and wawabima among wood products that would be showcased at the exhibition.

The exhibitors were unanimous in their complaint about what they said was the poor quality of plywood produced for the local market by the sawmills.

This, they contended, was negatively affecting the quality of furniture and other wood products they manufacture.

Another source of worry to them was also the bad nature of the road leading to the Wood Village at Sokoban in Kumasi, which they said was turning away many prospective investors from putting their money into the village.