By Ousman G Darboe
Timber is a versatile raw material that offers several advantages, enabling it to be used in a wide range of applications.
Easy to handle, cut, and shape with readily available tools, lending to its ability to have widespread use.
Its scrap or waste products can be repurposed. So, there is little to no unused material from a given cut of timber.
It has aesthetic appeal and can be stained, painted, or coated to produce a wide variety of finishes. In recent years, timber production industries and people dealing in the sector have experienced some challenges due to the shortage of this raw material.
Boat constructors at the Banjul seashore have expressed concerns over the shortage of timber which they said can lead to unemployment in the country.
Secka Dem, a boat constructor, said that timber is costly and thus hard to get. He said through timber they earn their living and create employment opportunities for other young people.
He said that they spend a lot of money to get timber which is sometimes not profitable for them and eventually causes economic hardship.
“We are Gambians like any other person, this is where we earn our living to feed our families.
Unfortunately, many people who engaged in timber work will now live without a job,” Secka Dem said.
Muhammed Jobe also expressed concerns over the lack of space for boat construction and the shortage of timber material.
Jobe lamented the impediments they encounter which are caused by lack of space and shortage of timber in the country.
“The Shortage of timber will cause economic deadlock in the fishing sector because we rely on timber to construct fishing boats.
If it is little or no timber life is going to be a challenge as most Gambians consume fish daily,” Job said.
Both Dem and Jobe called on the Government’s intervention in addressing the shortage of timber and space for boat constructors for them to continue on their income earning adventure.
