Takoradi, March 3 GNA- Ghanaian timber producers have been advised to refrain from selfishness, backbiting and close their ranks in order to get the needed recognition and respect.

Mr. Isaac Kofi Nketiah, National treasurer of the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) was addressing members of the Western regional branch of the Association at Takoradi on Monday.

He noted that disunity, and backbiting were, rife in the association, which he said did not augur well for the promotion of the association.

Mr. Nketiah urged members to take serious lesson from the plight of some timber men whose logs could not be exported and had their properties sold out by their creditors and are now living as paupers. He suggested that the national executive should engage the services of a permanent solicitor to handle all issues concerning the association and its membership.

Mr. Nketiah also appealed to members to take serious interest in the GTA re-afforestation programme adding, "As we want trees to fell, we must also plant trees to replace those we felled to enable future generation also to benefit".

Mr. Kwame Assenso Agyare, Western Regional Treasurer of the Association, appealed to members to pay their two per cent levy to the association to enable it to continue with its re-afforestation programme.

He asked the Regional branches to encourage their members to go into tree planting.

The members called on the Government to allow them to export the lesser-known tree species, which have no commercial value in the country.

They also urged the Forestry Commission and the Forest Services Division to ensure that their mode of allocation of timber concessions did not eliminate indigenous Ghanaian timber producers from the timber industry.