ICL Italia (Ghana) Limited, an Italian firm that manufacture wood chips for export has announced plans to expand its operations in the country to create about jobs 800 for the youth.

The local Executive Director of the company, Alhaji M.M. Ramadan, said the company would soon establish a project under an expansion programme to produce 500,000 metric tonnes of wood chips per annum for export to Italy.

Mr. Ramadan disclosed this at a meeting with the Eastern, Central and Western Region members of the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) at Akim Oda.

The main raw material for the company's products are derived from wood residues from the bush, matured coconut and palm trees and those destroyed by the Cape Saint Wilt disease.

The Executive Director of the company said as part of the programme an office would be opened at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region and all tools and equipment would be provided for the project to take off. The project would later be extended to other regions based on the success of the pilot scheme at Akim Oda. Alhaji Ramadan said the company would work in cooperation with the Akim Oda branch of the GTA to establish means of a regular supply of wood waste from the district to feed its operations at Takoradi, for which an attractive premium would be paid monthly.

Dr. Osti Alberto and Dr. Stefano Nanarin, both Italian shareholders of the company who were eager to invest in the country were of the view that Ghana is now politically stable and economically viable.

Mr. L.N. Kyei and Mr. Yaw Kissi, the Eastern Region and District Chairman respectively of the GTA on their part thanked the management of the company for the initiative and their contribution towards keeping the environment healthy and creating employment for the people.