The Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa-Doe, has expressed government s readiness to support the garment and textiles industry in the country to grow and contribute to the national economy.
The support, she noted, will be in the form of capacity building, financial empowerment and enabling environment to facilitate their growth. Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe, made the point in a speech read on her behalf at the launch of the National Friday Wear at Agona Swedru in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region. She said government has set up the Garment Village at the Tema Free Zones enclave and other locations in Accra as a support towards the growth of such industries.
Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe, encouraged Ghanaians to patronize locally manufactured fabrics to enable the industries to increase production and offer job opportunities to the youth. She also advised business organizations and other public service officials to embrace the spirit of Friday Wear to promote the rich Ghanaian culture.
Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe, challenged the designers, tailors, dressmakers and all those in the garment industry to come out with appropriate designs at affordable prices to make the programme successful.
The Acting Director of Domestic Trade and Distribution at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ben Kwame Peasah, said the programme is a strategy aimed at resuscitating the textiles industry in Ghana.
According to him, the Trade Liberalization policy made Ghana import a lot of goods and services including inferior ones to kill the local industries. The Omanhene of Agona Traditional Area, Nana Okofo Nyarko Eku, who presided over the function, advised Ghanaians to refrain from the over reliance on foreign materials and patronize the made in Ghana goods.
