METAL work in the Tamale metropolis is one business that is flourishing in the sprawling city, with the potential to solve the unemployment problems facing the youth in the area.
The trade involves the shaping of metals such as tin, iron, gold and copper into various forms of objects. It, therefore, involves welding and fabrication of those metals.
From containers to hospital beds, overhead metal stands, burglar proof for both windows and doors, hand-washing bowls, towel racks for hairdressers, lecture hall metallic seats, metal gates for houses and fences for offices. Wayside metal workers are always seen busily engaging in the production of such items.
Undoubtedly, those who do quality work are surviving in the business and expanding their trade, as well as employing more hands to cope with the increasing demand for their items.
One of the many viable metal workshops, A. M. Metal Works Enterprise, is located near Hill Top along the water works road, opposite the Volta River Authority (VRA) sub-station.
Its owner, Mr Abukari Musah, a product of the ITTU, who has been in the business for the past 20 years, told the Daily Graphic that he had no regrets taking up such a trade.
He noted that because of the setting up of many businesses, patronage of his products was high.
He explained that he had employed 14 young men in his business, adding that some of them were into welding and fabricating metals into finished products.
“We also produce solar panels for mechanised boreholes. I used 10 years to learn the trade and for me it is worth it,” he intimated.
According to him, because his products were of superior quality, he had won several contracts from institutions such as the University for Development Studies (UDS).
Asked how he procured his raw materials, Mr Musah said, “I buy the raw material here in Tamale ”.
The metal worker disclosed that the prices of containers ranged from GH¢700 to GH¢1,500, depending on the size of the container.
He pointed out that there was a difference between those who were into metal works and those into blacksmithing, saying metal works required more training to be able to execute the job effectively.
He, therefore, urged the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TAMA) to help identify unemployed youth in the metropolis and link them up with well-established metal workers for them to be trained so that they could acquire the requisite skills in the trade.
Mr Musah was of the view that the trade was a viable one and encouraged his colleagues to produce more quality items to increase demand for their products.
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