‘Pirated Prints Affect Ghanaian Textile Industry’ – The Battle Continues

Ghana’s textile industry is facing a threat of collapse due to the problem of pirated textiles entering the country.

Nana Akrasi Sarpong, Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said if the menace is left unchecked, it may lead to imminent collapse of the four remaining textile manufacturing companies in Ghana that have survived these activities, reports Ghana News Agency.

Speaking at the Kpone land fill site, where 450 pirated Ghanaian textile prints were destroyed, Mr. Sarpong expressed the need for the textile industry in the country to be saved, and the seizing of pirated Ghanaian textiles would be continued until the problem is resolved.

Ghana would be abiding by the conventions of the World Trade Organization relating to the protection of Intellectual Property Rights, he added.

Following a petition by the Textile Garment and Leather Employees Union, a joint Task Force was established and mandated to seize and destroy all pirated textiles in August, 2010.

Subsequently in June, 2013, the Task force was re-constituted by the Government, and a Vetting Committee on the importation of African Textile Prints was also constituted.

According to Mr. Sarpong, the work of the Task Force had significantly minimized the piracy of Ghanaian textile prints.

In July 2013, the Ministry of Trade and Industry announced that all imported African prints would be subjected to 100 percent physical examination with effect from September 13, 2013.

Moreover, the importation of all textiles would be restricted to the Kotoka International Airport, Tema and Takoradi ports, in Ghana from September 2013 onwards.

Source: Fibre2Fashion