Ghana Federation of Labour calls on government to protect local industry from pirated textiles

This is coming after the Ghana Standards Authority seized pirated textiles from some dealers in parts of Accra last week.

Business Development Manager at the GSA, George Kojo Anti, told Accra-based Citi FM that the fabrics are harmful to the skin and must not be allowed unto the markets.

“The exercise was to go to the markets, sample products, and the suspicious fabrics that are actually dominant in the shops. In the interest of public health and safety, in the interest of consumer protection, then we would temporarily have to suspend the sale of such because they are articles that we suspect hold a danger for life. There is no reason why we should allow at a point where we have seen it with our own eyes to be continued to be sold in public. One human life lost can never be regained” he explained.

According to the Deputy Secretary-General of the GFL, Kenneth Koomson, they welcome the steps taken by the GSA to clamp down on pirated products.

“We believe that the exercise is in the interest of the state, and again to ensure that the brisk sale of fabrics whose origin is unknown and quality we cannot vouch for are dealt with as far as the policies of the GSA are concerned.”

He added that the government must show commitment by resourcing the necessary agencies to ensure that stakeholders adhere to the single corridor policy.

“Unlike Nigeria closing its borders, we would like the security services in Ghana to be well resourced to ensure that the dedicated corridor for the import and export of textiles are complied with.”

He said if immediate steps are not taken, the local textile industry may collapse especially due to the high influx of fake garments into the country.

Meanwhile, the Textile, Garment and Leather Employees’ Union (TGLEU) has also praised the GSA for the move against imported substandard wax prints.

In a statement, the union said it will support the GSA to fight the menace so the local textile industry does not collapse.

“TGLEU pledges absolute support for the GSA in the application of its core mandate to ensure that the manufacture and sale of products comply with the laws of this country. We appeal to the GSA to sustain the operations at the points of sale of these counterfeit textiles across the regions to save the country from imminent calamity.”

“Consequently, the local textile manufacturing industry which meets statutory tax obligations applies certified dyestuffs and chemical and employs thousands of workers have been rendered uncompetitive in pricing because of the illicit activities of traders thereby causing the virtual collapse of the industry resulting in massive job losses,” the Union said.