The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 inaugurated a task force to check the marketing of pirated textiles and the smuggling of textiles into and out of Ghana.
The Textile Workers’ Association have agitated over the delay in inaugurating the unit to ensure the challenges are addressed.
The unresolved issue for instance led to a picketing by the workers at the Trade Ministry on Monday, October 2, 2017.
The ministerial task force will be required to check the importation of pirated Ghanaian textile and reprimand or arrest culprits who engage in the illegal practice.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Alan Kyerematen charged the members to devise the right methods to deal with all issues the textile industry is facing.
“I cannot preside over this kind of situation and so government is introducing a very comprehensive package of measures to deal with this problem decisively and substantively. What we are doing in reconstituting the task force is only one small component of the package of measures that we are going to adopt,” he assured.
Chairman of the task force, Mr. Sumani Mahamadu of the Ghana Revenue Authority – Customs Division pledged his sincere commitment to ensure wrongdoers are rid off the market.
“Our duty is to prevent the importation of pirated textiles into the country. We will patrol and control the borders of Ghana, especially the Eastern borders and visit suspicious warehouses based on intelligence. I assure you that the task assigned to us will be carried out without fear or favour”, he said.
Members of the 17 member taskforce include; Lt. Col. Richard Cobba-Eshun – Ministry of Defence, Abass Almeyaw from the Ghana Police Service, Mrs. Patricia Boateng, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr. Lawrence Osei- Boateng, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Major Isaac Konadu from the Ministry of National Security as well as Mr. Alpha Abdullah Shaban from the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
Others are Mr. Christopher Adjetey – Ghana Standards Authority, Mr. Charles Arthur Ntiri, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Samuel Hemans Addy, Akosombo Textile Limited, Mr. Jonathan Sarfo, Tex Styles Limited and Mr. Francis Omari, Printex Ghana Limited.
The rest are; Mr. Ebenezer Asumadu, Textile, Garment and Leather Employees’ Union, Mr. Joseph Tetteh, Mrs. Gladys Baining both of Textile Importers and Distributors Association, Mr. Ted Asare Frimpong, Registrar General’s Department and Mr. Samuel Anum of Swiss Ghana Intellectual Property Project.
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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
