Latest update December 23rd, 2024 2:56 AM
Govt. to export 120 pre-fab wooden houses to Ghana this year
Kaieteur News – In a bid to expand the local value chain for wood products, government said this year, it will be exporting pre-fabricated houses to the West African nation, Ghana.
The announcement was made by the Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh during last week’s Budget presentation. He told the National Assembly that some 120 pre-fab houses will be built locally using Guyana’s wood and other materials and would then be exported to Ghana. This initiative, the government said, will help secure a long-term relationship with this potential market.
A model of a prefab home.
The Minister did not reveal how Guyana would benefit from this initiative but noted that the administration has been exploring other markets for its sawn lumber and so far it sees Barbados and Ghana, as well as other countries which it did not name, as potential markets.
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister said, “Government will also work to resuscitate three kiln drying facilities at Essequibo, Berbice and Linden, which will support the supply of sawn lumber to the Barbados market, among many others”.
On the other hand, he said that the PPP is also planning to host a Wood Expo this year, to promote “value added opportunities” which is expected to benefit over 100 licenced saw millers and 25 higher-end value producers. This activity is scheduled for the second half of this year.
He told Parliament that the event will attract over 80 overseas customers. “The event is slated to attract over 80 overseas buyers and several value-added experts from Europe and North America. In 2022, Government will work on finalising the Guyana’s Timber Legality Assurance System which is required for the implementation of the European Union Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade programme in order to be licensed to access the EU and other markets,” the Minister added.
In 2021, the forestry sector expanded by 11.3 percent. According to the latest declarations, timber output grew from 344,179 cubic metres in 2020 to 383,189 cubic metres in 2021, reflecting the high demand as a result of the expansion in construction activity.
Back in 2011, a number of companies were involved in constructing pre-fabricated homes. One such company was Bulkan Timber Works Incorporated.
Back then, the company’s Managing Director, Howard Bulkan said that a 700-square foot dwelling could cost as little as $7M. Bulkan Timber Works had installed six state-of-the-art kiln-drying facilities. Its kiln used the waste wood to power boilers that dry the lumber.
The shingle roof produced had the potential to withstand hurricane winds of up to 150 miles per hour, something fortunately Guyana does not have to contend with, the company pointed out.
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