Menkessim(C/R), Dec 02, GNA - The Abontsidomhene of Abeadze Traditional Area in the Central Region, Nana Nketia Afful, has appealed to the government to take immediate action to protect the designs of kente cloth from imitation.

Nana Afful, who described kente cloth as the pride of the Ghanaian culture, said the rate at which its designs were being imitated left much to be desired.

Speaking to GNA at Mankessim, Nana Afful said important personalities including chiefs who used to portray their position by wearing kente cloth have now locked them up in their boxes. He said the kente industry would soon collapse, as there would be no markets for the products if the imitation were not checked. ''Kente cloth is no longer worn to functions by important people for the fear of meeting a boy or a girl in an imitation of the design of the same cloth.''

Nana Afful appealed to kente weavers to be united to enable them fight against pirating of their designs and called for a stop to be put to the use of kente as a tablecloth.