The Welders and Fabricators Union in Ashaiman has called on the government to provide needed support for the industry which has been struggling with several challenges in recent years.
The craft-work industry located in the Official town, a suburb of Ashaiman has been hit hard by the rising cost of raw materials, shortage of skilled labour, and increase in competition from importers within their hub of trade.
The industry known to be manufacturing baking ovens, coal pots, burners for caterers, and other metal craftworks is struggling to stay afloat.
Teye Bright, spokesperson of the association expressed bitterly how expensive and difficult it is to buy raw materials.
He also expressed worry on how unbalanced the cost of production has negatively affected their businesses in recent times.
“We use to purchase the imported sheets for our production, but due to its expensive cost, we have no choice but to buy the recycled sheet from the spare parts dealers which is less quality”, Teye disclosed
He added, “We buy the less quality sheet to earn a good profit, yet when our intermediaries which is the market women come for our items they purchase on credit assuring us of the money on the stated date which leaves some of us idle and not financially stable to continue work”.
Devine Fofoe, a senior welder stated their support for the government’s policy 1D1F and believed it to be a good initiative for the people of Ashaiman and Ghana if the government could include them in building their industry to deploy more modern machines and human resources to be able to produce and compete with the imported goods or use what is made by the Ghanaian.
“I plead to the government and the national vocational and technical Institute to encourage collaboration with the craft industry and the youths to save the industry.
“We are getting older, and we need the young ones to join us in the industry, we used to get technical students coming for practical for their final project works but in recent times they do not show up anymore.
“AWFU is always ready to engage with the government and other public institutions to revitalize the welding and fabricating industry,” Mr. Fofoe concluded.
