The Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Rudolph J. Merab Sr., has cautioned Liberian carpenters to be efficient and more focused on their work because the sector is cardinal to the growth of Liberia. He told a cross-section of carpenters during the opening of a transition support facility, scaling up of participation of the SMEs in the secondary wood processing inception workshop recently in Monrovia, that college education is not all to it and, therefore, trade such as carpentry, is very important in the society.
MD Merab Sr. also urged Liberian carpenters to focus on producing guaranteed and durable furniture and do away with quick productions of furniture that are not durable and guaranteed. According to him, the government will make business with Liberian carpenters only if their products are durable and guarantee. He encouraged participants of the one-day workshop to see the training as an opportunity for them to acquire new ideas as they explore more in their field of specialization.
The FDA boss moreover warned all who received tools from the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and partner to avoid selling the tools, that are intended to make their work easy. Honorable Merab Sr. informed them that FDA will continuously partnership with the African Development Bank in supporting the Liberian carpenters.
At the training, the Director of the PFMU at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Papin Daniels, lectured on the financial management and procurement process.
Trocon R. Moore provided the overview of the project phase one while Emmanuel Lewis, Project Coordinator provided status of the current project phase two. He provided detailed information on the on-going activities, project inception, activities completed and pending activities.
In closing remark, FDA Technically Manager for Community, Weedor H. Gray, commended participants for their time. She admonished them to put into use what they have acquired from the one-day training couple with the pieces of advice given by the Managing Director Merab Sr. regarding the production of durable and guarantee furniture.
The training was held at A La Lagune in Congo Town, Monrovia on September 4, 2025. The participants came from Paynesville Carpenters Union, Topoe Village Carpenters Union, Old Road Carpenters Union, among others.