The Furniture and Wood Products Association of Ghana (FAWAG) has endorsed President John Dramani Mahama’s proposed ban on wooden school furniture, describing it as a forward-thinking and environmentally responsible initiative.
The president announced the policy shift during the World Environment Day celebrations on June 5, pledging to phase out the use of wood in school furniture in favor of sustainable alternatives like recycled plastics and metal. The move, he said, was aimed at reducing deforestation and preserving Ghana’s forest cover.
“To reduce deforestation, I will issue a directive to stop the use of wood for producing school furniture. Going forward, we will adopt environmentally friendly alternatives such as recycled plastic or metal,” President Mahama declared.
Reacting to the announcement, FAWAG’s Administrative Assistant, Mr. Christopher Dadzawa, hailed the decision as “wonderful and welcome news,” and highlighted the significant burden wooden furniture places on Ghana’s forests.
“We received this announcement by the president to reduce the use of wood products for furniture in our schools. We are all aware that school furniture made of wood takes a very huge volume of wood from our forests,” Dadzawa said in an interview on Channel One.
He added that the association views the president’s directive as aligning with Ghana’s broader environmental goals and national efforts to promote reforestation and sustainable development.
“The president was quick to give the reasons for that decision… to promote our forest cover and contribute to sustaining the environment,” he noted.
However, Mr. Dadzawa also offered a practical perspective, clarifying that while FAWAG fully supports the initiative, a complete elimination of wood from school furniture might not be immediately feasible. He explained that certain components of metal-based designs might still require the use of wood.
“When we are working with metal for school furniture, it is not the whole 100 percent that is metal. Some components of the furniture would be in wood,” he said.
The proposed policy has sparked conversations around sustainable development and the role of industry in environmental conservation. FAWAG’s support lends significant weight to the initiative, suggesting a readiness within the furniture manufacturing sector to adapt to more eco-conscious practices. As Ghana looks to balance economic development with environmental responsibility, this move represents a potential turning point in how public sector procurement can influence sustainable production.
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