A private pilot project is currently underway at Assin-Fosu in the Central region to empower the youth to be gainfully employed.

Mr Thomas Broni, a Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry announced this on Thursday said, it was in line with government's commitment to conserve the biological resources and thereby create jobs for the people.

He said the idea of developing bamboo as an alternative tropical species came as a result of the limited nature of the country's timber resources.

Mr Broni was speaking at a day's workshop on developing bamboo industry in Ghana.

He said Assin-Fosu was chosen because it is one of the "forest friendly" communities and hoped that the public would accept the bamboo technology to reduce the current pressure on timber.

"Developing bamboo industry would create more jobs for the people and also reduce poverty level among them," he added.

Mr Gladstone Anderson Agbolosoo-Mensah, Managing Director of the Pioneer Bamboo Production Limited, said the aim of the company is to train the people in the area to identify matured bamboo, how to cut and process them to feed the factory.

"We believe that when the people are shown their potential, they would be able to live independently."

He said currently China imports over 2.2 billion dollars of bamboo products, adding, "I hope that with time Ghana could capture the West Africa Market.

The Woodworking Sector Development Programme (WSDP) is in consultation with the management of the factory to see how best they could assist technically.