On the 15th July the inaugural meeting of the five-nation ECOWAS Steering Committee on the upgrading of the 1,030 km Abidjan-Lagos corridor road project met to begin work on the legal and institutional framework, the terms of reference for various studies and on finance and resource mobilisation.
The committee, comprised Ministers of Road Infrastructure, Transport, Public Works, Finance and Justice of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo.
The road, which carries around 75 per cent of regional trade and impacts some 30 million people, links major cities such as Lagos, Cotonou, Accra, Lomé and Abidjan as well as the region’s dynamic sea ports. The road also serves landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The committee recommended that a feasibility study be conducted prior to securing financing support from the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the African Finance Corporation.
The ministers further recommended that the BRIC countries (Brazil, India, China and South Africa) should be approached with a view to securing the required financing.
Independent power producers to solve power shortages
Ghana’s ministry of energy has released details of an agreement with General Electric (GE) for the building of additional power generation capacity in the country to alleviate the problem of power outages. In a press release the ministry says, “GE will be facilitating the development, financing and technical partnership required for the implementation of an incremental 1000MW of power in collaboration with the Government of Ghana over the next 5 years.
The agreement comes on the heels of the Government’s proposed target to generate a total of 5000 Megawatts by 2016.
The Minister for Energy and Petroleum, Honorable Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, commended GE on its efforts and stated that the Government of Ghana is committed to achieving increased power outputs through strategic collaboration with private sector investors.
He noted that the government is putting in place the necessary structures and creating the enabling environment to attract the needed Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to ensure that the country had a constant supply of power for economic growth.
The “Ghana 1000MW Project” will introduce the Power Park Concept to enable lower cost of power and faster implementation.
GE plans to develop the Power Park in collaboration with partners and investors as well as develop local capabilities and service providers in plant operation and maintenance”.
Bamboo bio-energy technologies from INBAR
According to a Ghana News Agency report the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), is promoting bamboo charcoal technologies in Ghana which have the potential to contribute to growth in the bio-energy sector.
In a statement issued in Accra, the Country Director of INBAR, Michael Kwaku, said the China-Africa collaboration focuses mainly on bamboo to provide clean, safe and ‘green’ energy.
Boule Export prices
Euro per m³ | |
Black Ofram | 235▲ |
Black Ofram Kiln dry | 300▼ |
Niangon | 512▲ |
NiangonKiln dry | 580▲ |
Domestic Log Prices
Ghana logs |
US$ per m³ | |||
Up to 80 cm | 80cm+ | |||
Wawa | 150-165▲ | 170-185▲ | ||
Odum Grade A | 169-174 | 178-188 | ||
Ceiba | 115-133▲ | 138-150▲ | ||
Chenchen | 100-108 | 111-128 | ||
Khaya/Mahogany (Veneer Qual.) | 121-125▲ | 146-155▲ | ||
Sapele Gradea A | 146-155 | 161-185 | ||
Makore (Veneer Qual.) Grade A | 133-138 | 140-166 | ||
Ofram | 112-115 | 130-135 |
Export Sawnwood Prices
Ghana Sawnwood, FOB | US$ per m³ | |
FAS 25-100mm x 150mm up x 2.4m up | Air-dried | Kiln-dried |
Afrormosia | 855 | 945 |
Asanfina | 480 | 544 |
Ceiba | 231▲ | 266▲ |
Dahoma | 320▼ | 368▼ |
Edinam (mixed redwood) | 384▲ | 500▲ |
Emeri | 353▲ | 500▲ |
African mahogany (Ivorensis) | 580▲ | 675▲ |
Makore | 575▲ | 658▲ |
Niangon | 513 | 613▲ |
Odum | 642▲ | 769▲ |
Sapele | 567▲ | 655▲ |
Wawa 1C & Select | 275▲ | 323 |
Export Rotary Veneer Prices
Rotary Veneer 2mm and up, FOB |
€ per m3 | |
CORE (2mm & up) | FACE (2mm & up) | |
Ceiba | 292▼ | 315▼ |
Chenchen | 320 | 358▲ |
Ogea | 320▼ | 350▼ |
Essa | 322▼ | 355 |
Ofram | 320 | 357 |
Export Sliced Veneer Prices
Sliced Veneer, FOB | € per sq. m | |
Face | Backing | |
Afrormosia | 1.32 | 0.80▼ |
Asanfina | 1.20▼ | 0.99+ |
Avodire | 1.12 | 0.72 |
Chenchen | 0.85 | 0.60 |
Mahogany | 1.30 | 0.60▼ |
Makore | 1.26▼ | 0.54▼ |
Odum | 1.88 | 0.72▼ |
Export Plywood Prices
Plywood, FOB | € per m3 | ||
Ceiba | Ofram | Asanfina | |
4mm
|
424▼ | 600 | 641 |
6mm
|
420 | 592▼ | 622 |
9mm
|
360 | 409▲ | 475 |
12mm
|
366▲ | 435▲ | 439 |
15mm
|
322▲ | 374▼ | 373▲ |
18mm
|
305 | 363 | 367▲ |
Grade AB/BB would attract a premium of 10%, B/BB 5%, C/CC 5% and CC/CC 10%.
Export Added Value Product Prices
Parquet flooring 1st | FOB € per sq.m | ||
10x60mm | 10x65-75mm | 14x70mm | |
Apa | 12.60 | 15.30 | 18.80 |
Odum | 10.00 | 11.20 | 12.40 |
Hyedua | 14.08 | 14.00 | 18.45 |
Afrormosia | 14.30 | 18.65 | 18.33 |
Grade 2 less 5%, Grade 3 less 10%.