Ghana: Textile and garments committee inaugurated
The reconstituted National Technical Committee for Textiles and Garments was on Friday inaugurated to ensure that Ghana meets the requirements for the production of textiles and garments for the local and the international markets.
The committee, which has been expanded in size from 12 experts to 22, would be responsible for the development and implementation of standards for the textiles and garments industry.
It is determined to consider standards for slit and kaba, Kente, smock and many other Ghana-made clothes that are mostly preferred by many Ghanaians and foreigners alike.
It has Eunice Antiaye – head of Textiles and Garment Department, Accra Technical University – as its chairperson, with other members drawn from different backgrounds – industry, professional, education and research institutions, certification bodies, consumer groups and government departments.
Nyame Berfi, Director in-charge of Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, who inaugurated the committee in Accra on behalf of Alan Kwadwo Kyeremarten – the sector minister – said Ghana could not take full advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) due to sub-standard goods.
“Even though AGOA presents a significant opportunity for Ghana to increase its manufacturing capacity and diversify its exports, the country has not been able to exploit to the full, the trading opportunities under the programme,” Mr Kyeremarten said in a speech read on his behalf.
He emphasised the importance of rigidly keeping to applicable standards as far as the textiles and garment industry is concerned and tasked the committee to pay attention to the variety of fabrics, material and finishes in the production of textile goods and modifications in the description of care processes.
Mr Kyeremanten also tasked the members of the committee to use their expertise to come out with standards and requirements needed to ensure safety and quality of products from the industry.
Professor Alex Dodoo, Director General of the GSA, said the committee members represent capable men and women in the country who set standards for the nation in line with international standards.
He mentioned challenges confronting the textile and garments industry as sub-standard buttons, zips, thread, under-sized measuring tapes as well as the inability to penetrate the job markets.
“The task we have thrown to the Technical Committee is that Ghanaian clothes have sizes; please let’s know the standards for our sizes – for Fugu, for Kaftan and so on. That’s the only way we can trade online,” he charged.
Madam Antiaye said the committee would hit the ground running by holding meetings to deliberate on adoption, review and development of relevant standards.
Read related news articles
'Nigeria missing as Kenya, Ghana tap AGOA opportunities to boost foreign exchange earnings'
Africa’s biggest economy is still failing to tap the opportunities that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) present to boost its foreign exchange, amid acute dollar shortages. The AGOA has been on for over twenty-three years as it was enacted in 2020. In 2015, the program was modernised and extended to 2025, implying that there are only about 15 months before the window closes. Some countries have taken advantage of the AGOA more...
05 February 2024
AGOA extension crucial for Ghana’s industrialisation
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei is supporting the push for the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to enhance trade between Ghana and the US. A United States Trade Act enacted on 18 May 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress, the AGOA legislation has been renewed on different occasions, most recently in 2015, when its period of validity was extended to September 2025. The...
06 November 2023
We want more Ghanaian exports in US market – trade minister
Mr. Kobina Tahir Hammond, Minister of Trade and Industry, says Ghana desires to increase its exports to the United States (US) market, arguably the most lucrative consumer market globally. He indicated that the Government had stepped up support for the private sector, both domestic and foreign, to enhance production and export capacity, particularly in the manufacturing sector, with notable opportunities for export into the U.S. market. The...
11 August 2023
AGOA boosts Kenya's textile exports to US, sector sees 7.2% growth
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has benefitted Kenya’s textile and apparel sector, leading to monthly exports to the tune of Sh4.5 billion, or Sh150 million per day, last year, according to a study by London-based Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The programme has had a positive impact on the country’s export-processing zones (EPZs), especially in the textile and garment sector. Kenya is the second-largest exporter of...
08 August 2023
US fashion brands urge early renewal of AGOA
US fashion companies are calling for the early renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade program that allows thousands of African products to enter the United States duty-free. They argue that a longer-term arrangement would not only benefit African economies but also boost investment in the region. The AGOA was first enacted in 2000 and is currently set to expire in 2025. However, US officials have indicated that the...
31 July 2023
US boosts Kenya apparel industry with $55m in new trade deals
The US is giving Kenya $55 million for expansion of export processing zones in a move that will boost Nairobi’s apparel exports. US initiative Prosper Africa and the US Embassy announced the funding at the launch of the US-Kenya Business Roadshow held on April 25 in New York. The announcement was part of the commitments made by President Joe Biden at the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit last year. The funds will be channelled under USAid and...
29 April 2023
Ghana trade minister calls for strategic US investment in African agribusinesses
The Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, has advocated for intensive investment in the agricultural sector as part of major plans to economically empower the African continent. The Minister made this pronouncement during the recent summit of US- African leaders in Washington DC. The US-Africa Leaders’ Summit was anchored on the shared values of fostering new economic engagement; reinforcing the US-Africa commitment to democracy...
20 December 2022
Nigeria: Garment factory to create 2,000 direct jobs, utilize AGOA
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the weekend, said the state’s garment factory will be inaugurated this year with a take off capacity to hire 2,000 direct labour. Speaking with dozens of APC youths, progressive social media influencers, and some online news publishers on Saturday, the governor said the idea is to make Kwara a hub for garment production, which can then benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act...
26 August 2022
AAFA: Africa ‘logical’ choice for brands fleeing China
The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) urged the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as U.S. brands and retailers look to diversify sourcing. While the trade agreement’s expiration is still three years away, the Washington, D.C.-based trade group believes that establishing long-term, forward-looking policy will help brands commit to new sourcing...
29 June 2022
Kenyan textile company eyes export market through new Zanzibar facility
A Kenyan company is setting up a $51.3 million (about Sh115 billion) factory in Zanzibar as it targets to get a pie of the world’s $920 billion textile market. The global textile industry was estimated at around $920 billion in 2018, and it was projected to reach approximately $1,230 billion by 2024, available global data show. With its $51.3 million factory at Chunguni area in Zanzibar, Basra Textiles Limited is specifically targeting...
12 January 2022
Ethiopia’s economy hit as major clothing maker closes shop
Ethiopia’s once rapidly growing economy is taking another hit tied to its yearlong war, with global clothing manufacturer PVH Corp. saying it is closing its facility there because of the “speed and volatility of the escalating situation.” PVH, whose brands include Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, has been a marquee occupant of Ethiopia’s model industrial park in the city of Hawassa, where Africa’s second-most populous country has...
19 November 2021