The Coalition of Textile Workers have told Citi Business News they may not lay off workers as they are optimistic new measures proposed by the Ministry of Trade will solve the challenges facing the local textile industry.
The textile workers have on several occasions argued that the Trade Ministry has paid no attention to their fight against illegal pirated textiles imported into the country.
But the Ministry in a response has announced measures to support the companies with a stimulus package of up to 22 million cedis.
The new directive, follows a meeting between the Trade Ministry and the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, to discuss ways of saving the local textiles industry from collapse.
Speaking to Citi Business News, Head of Communications for the Coalition of Textile Workers, Michael Anglangman said the interventions announced by the government will avert job losses in the industry.
He pointed out that but for the new measures, “some workers would have gone home or were slated to go home, because the textile companies were not performing due to unfair market competition”.
“So once the market now gives a fair playing field for everyone then there will not be any necessary reason to lay off workers”, he stressed.
He stated that the measures will also help to curb the importation and smuggling of fake and cheap textiles into the country.
On his part, Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen served a strong notice to players in the textile industry that failure to affix the stamp will warrant severe sanctions.
He explained that the government introduced the tax stamp on textiles to check imports of fake and pirated textiles.
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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana