Making the announcement, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry, said the measure was being taken to stop imports of pirated Ghanaian textile prints.
He said all imported African textile prints would now fall under “High Risk Goods” category, and their imports would now be allowed only through Kotoka International Airport, Takoradi and Tema ports, Ghana News Agency reported.
To curb the menace of illegal importation of pirated Ghanaian textile prints, MOTI has reconstituted Task Force on Pirated Ghanaian Textile Designs, which includes 16 members and is lead by Mr. Appiah Danyina of MOTI.
MOTI has also constituted a Vetting Committee on the Importation of African Textile Prints, which has 12 members with Mr. Easmond Arde-Acquah of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) as chairman.
Inaugurating the Task Force and the Vetting Committee, Mr. Iddrisu said that from September 13, 2013, onwards, all importers would have to inform the GSA about the port of entry of any consignment prior to importation.
The Minister asked all importers of African textile prints to register with the MOTI as well the Ghana Revenue Authority.
In recent years, Ghanaian textile industry has suffered heavily due to import of pirated Ghanaian prints, which are an imitation of original Ghanaian textile designs and are available at lower prices.
Source: Fibre2fashion