Sandaun Chamber of Commerce president, Boni Leki, says the implementation of downstream processing for logging in the Province will create more employment for school leavers.
He said currently the Province had a big unemployment problem, especially in the Vanimo township.
“Downstream processing brings in a lot of employment. Like other provinces we also have our share of school leavers.
“I’d like downstream processing to be seriously taken on board so that some of our unemployment problems can be attended to,” he said.
West Sepik is one of the most heavily logged provinces in PNG, with around eight logging companies operating, the largest of which is Vanimo Forestry Products owned by Rimbunan Hijau.
Leki said introducing value adding in his Province and across the country will see growth in the economy.
“Definitely I do want to see downstream processing as soon as we can and it will do this place and the country a lot of good.”
(Logging – Picture: Act Now PNG)