Ghana textile workers want lower tariffs for utilities

17 Feb '18

1 min read

Ghana’s Textile, Garment and Leather Employees Union (TEGLU) has demanded a 50 per cent reduction in prices of utilities to save the sector from collapse. The country’s Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC) is discussing with stakeholders for a possible review of prices of utilities, but it is unclear whether the prices will rise or fall.

Not wanting to wait for experiments through the implementation of the tax stamp regime, the union urged the government to immediately remove value-added tax (VAT) on locally-produced textile prints to save textile manufacturing companies from collapse, according to Ghanian media reports.

TEGLU also demanded a joint task force to monitor compliance of all activities of importers and to prevent the influx of cheap textiles into the country.

Local textile manufacturing companies have already sent home about 90 per cent of their workers due to the influx of pirated wax prints, high taxes, statutory levies and high cost of raw materials and utilities, according to union general secretary Abraham Koomson, who said the remaining textile workers will soon hit the streets if the government does not review the operations of the task force. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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