Accra, June 29, GNA - A recent data released at a global congress has revealed that trade in counterfeit and pirated goods increased by more than 250 billion dollars, an amount almost two per cent of world trade.

Another report at the Fifth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, which was recently held in Mexico, further showed that 80 per cent of consumers admitted that they regularly bought fake or pirated products with little remorse or concern about the consequences. Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, who disclosed this on Tuesday at a breakfast meeting in Accra, said the repor ts were clear signals that new approaches for the effective combating of counterfeiting and piracy needed to be adopted both at the national and international levels. The breakfast meeting was organised by management of Ghana Employers

Association (GEA) for Chief Executives under the topic "Impact of Counterfeit Goods and Illicit Trade on Investment Promotion in Ghana." She expressed worry that the issue of counterfeit goods and illicit trade remained a challenge in the country, especially in the pharmaceutic al and textile sectors

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu expressed dissatisfaction that though a legal framework produced more than 30 years ago existed in the country to prote ct manufacturers, companies, employers and employees as well as goods in the

textile industry, counterfeiting and piracy had thrived in the sector at an alarming rate. "At the national level, the once vibrant textile industry is but a shadow of itself, several other industries have had to shut down leading to loss of jobs. Recognising the important role the business community plays in the national development agenda, implies that when the private sector is adversely affected by counterfeiting and piracy, it becomes difficult to eradicate poverty," she said. She called for effective collaboration from the private sector, law enforcement agencies and government to ensure strict enforcement of exist ing laws to check counterfeiting and illicit trade.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said government with the support of Swiss authorit ies was reviewing the Trademark and Industrial Designs Act to modernise the administration of intellectual property system at the national level. "I wish to reiterate that government is committed to ensuring that i t implements effective and efficient enforcement systems for the protection of intellectual property rights and to contain the levels of counterfeiting and piracy in the country," she said.

Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry, observed that ther e existed enough legal frameworks in the country that could be rendered effective with the collaboration of law enforcement agencies and the priv ate sector. She expressed disquiet that some people were not happy when governme nt applied sanctions and ensured strict compliance to standards stressing th at the enforcement of the standards were essential for the socio-economic development of the country. Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, decried the situation where some employers paid workers below the minimum

wage, refused to pay their social security and forbade the workers from forming social workers unions, adding that soon officers from the Inspectorate Division of the Ministry would undertake a nation-wide exerc ise to forestall lawful working conditions.