MOTI task force destroys pirated Ghanaian textile prints

16 Jul '11

2 min read

Around 700 pirated and imported pieces of Ghanaian textiles prints costing around GH¢ 42,000 were seized and destroyed by the Textiles and Garment Task Force constituted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).

The Task Force seized pirated goods from Kumasi, Accra and Mankessim markets and destroyed them at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.

According to the experts, the issue of textile piracy is not limited to Ghana and it prevails in other parts of the world, and has been recognized as a major threat to world economy.

Articles 51 to 60 of the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Right authorizes the Government to initiate necessary steps to enable the holders of intellectual rights on products to launch legal action in respect of pirated goods.

Developing countries have initiated strict measures to stop circulation of such goods. In view of the same, the Ghanaian Government too has been called upon to substantiate its commitment towards safeguarding and promoting the industries and businesses by destroying such pirated and inferior quality products in the market.

Experts say that a chemical called ISO Dyes is used in pirated textiles which can cause the wearer to suffer from serious health problems, and hence destroying them is the best way to stop them from entering the market.

Majority of the pirated Ghanaian textile prints are imported from either India or China and they even bear a fake logo of the Ghana Standard Board. The Board is actually responsible for conducting quality checks for the products and verifies their labelling.

The first exercise of destructing pirated prints was carried out at Tema Municipal Assembly landfill site at Kpone on October 1, 2010, and in the coming months the Government is expected to undertake such exercises in different parts of the country.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

More Textiles News - Ghana...