Sunyani (B/A) Sept. 27 GNA - Nana Kwadwo Kwakye, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister on Wednesday noted with regret that the taste of Ghanaians for foreign wear had contributed to the massive smuggling of cheap foreign textiles into the country.

Speaking at the Brong Ahafo Regional launch of the National Friday wear in Sunyani, he said it was common to see Ghanaians, both males and females of all ages wearing clothes made of foreign textiles to the neglect of locally manufactured ones. "The situation has been exacerbated by the massive smuggling of cheap foreign textiles into our country despite the fact that local textile industries have the capacities and technological know-how to produce same locally and even of a more superior quality", he said. The Deputy Minister emphasised that the situation had continued to create employment in the source countries and the growth of their economies, whilst previously viable local textile industries had closed down leading to the loss of jobs.

Nana Kwakye stated that television and aggressive marketing by foreign fashion houses and modelling agencies had introduced "outrageous costumes" on the market and such adverts targeted mainly young people who were more malleable.

Nana Kwakye noted that the liberalization of the Ghanaian market has resulted in stiff competition from foreign competitors and the textile industry had suffered a great deal as such competitors used fair and foul means to get access to the Ghanaian market.

He stressed that if Ghanaians continued to have a taste for foreign textiles and costumes, the country's economy would continue to sink. The Deputy Minister urged Ghanaians to patronize locally manufactured textiles and give it the needed attention.

Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector and President's Special Initiatives, said the national Friday wear was part of a comprehensive programme under the trade sector support programme (TSSP), designed by the Ministry to promote locally made textiles and garments.

He said in efforts at resuscitating the local textiles industry, the government had acquired Juapong Textiles Limited, which would commence production soon to restore employment to more than 1000 Ghanaians.

Mr. Asiedu said the government was also providing financial assistance to several companies in the private sector to enable them to increase employment, production and export earnings. He asked Ghanaians to acknowledge their roles in the promotion of such laudable initiative and urged heads of educational institutions to instil in the youth the national pride in associating themselves with such programmes.

Mr. Evans Asare-Badiako, director in-charge of the Sunyani branch office of ATL said the company had taken a stand against the unscrupulous and criminal behaviour of people who were copying its registered designs, logos and traditional symbols to produce inferior products that were smuggled into the country without paying tax or duty on them.

He stressed that they are working together with various government agencies to combat such menace