The Ministry of Trades and Industry has begun steps to re-constitute the task force on the importation of pirated Ghanaian textiles.
The new task force will ensure that importers of the fake textiles are arrested and prosecuted.
In a letter sighted by 3news.com, the Ministry acknowledged that the fight against pirated textiles has been “challenging and there is the need to re-strategise to win the war”.
“The Ministry has therefore developed a new policy direction to help make the textile sector competitive.”
A task force was set up in 2010 under the presidency of the late Professor John Atta Mills to crack down on fake textiles.
The move was in compliance to the World Trade Organisation’s Tade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement, which mandates governments not to allow infringed goods to enter the channel of commerce and also not to allow the re-exportation of such goods.
The new taskforce is expected to be formed after July 21, when all member-institutions have filed their nominated representatives.
Institutions to have representatives on the task force are Ministry of National Security, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, Ministry of Trades and Industry, Ghana Revenue Authority, Tex Styles Ltd, Akosombo Textile Ltd, and Association of Textile Importers and Distributors.
The others are Printex Ghana Ltd, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ghana Union of Trade Associations, and Textile Garment and Leather Employees Union.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana