Textile Workers to Petition Jubilee House Over Piracy

The Coalition of Textile Workers has notified of intensifying its fight against the collapse of the local textile industry.

In what it describes as a reminder to the government, the group wants the government through  the Trade Ministry and allied institutions, to take drastic measures to halt the influx of pirated textiles on the market.

The latest position will involve the presenting of a petition to the Jubilee House over what they say is their frustration regarding the apparent lip service by the Trade and Industry Ministry to the adverse impact of the pirated products on the local textile industry.

“We sent a reminder concerning our petition that we gave to government about our task force that has been mandated to go to the border. We gave the government one month ultimatum that when we don’t get any feedback, we will go back to the street but we think that demonstrating is stressful and it is not an interesting business; so we felt like two weeks down the line if we have not heard anything from government, it is important that we remind them because our companies are collapsing, our businesses are dying,” Communications Officer of the Coalition of Textile Workers, John Abeka Akonor said.

Earlier, the Deputy Trade Minister, Carlos Ahenkorah had stated that the ministry intends to fight the menace with a tax stamp policy which is to be affixed on all local textiles.

Mr Ahenkorah said the idea of a tax stamp will differentiate the local textiles from the smuggled ones, and eventually allow them get rid of the pirated goods on the market.

But in an interview with Citi Business News, Mr. Abeka Akonor said they will march to petition the President at the Jubilee House if government fails to get back to them within two weeks.

“We don’t want workers to go home and become unemployed because if it happens they will be a burden on the government once again so if they failo to call us within two weeks then we will march to the president at the Jubilee house and see him ourselves” he exclaimed.

Source: Citibusinessnews