As part of measures to effectively address the unfair competition in the local textile industry, the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Textile manufacturers. The expected agreement between the two stakeholders comes after the Textile-Importers Association in the early parts of June agreed to collaborate with the manufacturers in the bid. The local textile industry has over the years argued that unfair competition posed to locally manufactured textiles by cheap textiles imported into the country poses a serious threat to the survival of local industries.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry is to have oversight responsibility over the agreement towards firming up plans to have all the counterfeit imported textiles destroyed. The General Secretary of Textile, Garments and Leather Workers Union (TEGLU), Abraham Koomson told CITI BUSINESS they will need some funds to support the CEPS in the destruction of the impounded goods.

“The activities that are going to be carried out by CEPS involves cost, if you want to destroy impounded goods it involves money and CEPS needs some capacity building in order to work effectively to help us and the manufacturers are going to make that commitment to ensure they facilitate the works of customs so that in case there is a breach of the agreement the party who is guilty will be dealt with. So it is between CEPS and the manufacturers and the Ministry of trade will facilitate that arrangement.” He said.