Used clothing dealers appeal to government

Members of the used clothing dealers association on Wednesday appealed to the government to stop the management of GERMANTEX Limited, a German company based at Tema, from selling it to another company based in Holland.

GERMANTEX imports used clothing in giant bales, sort and repackage them into smaller bales for local dealers within and across the West Africa sub-region.

Speaking to the GNA in Accra, Nana Aku Brakatu-Brempong 11, national chairman, said some management staff of the new company, Deboir limited, have declared their intention to close down the factory and operate from Germany instead of Ghana.

He said this would render about 60 employees, mostly women, jobless and asked the government to intervene.

"It is unfortunate that the factory is being closed down at a time when the government is yearning for investments to create employment."

It is also sad that the new Company wants to deny the 60 workers their right to a living and at the same time take advantage to export directly onto the Ghanaian market rather than through the repackaging plant at Tema", Nana Brakatu-Brempong stated.

Nana Brakatu-Brempong said neighbouring countries that purchase from GERMANTEX pay in foreign currency.

GERMANTEX is the first company in West Africa to import used clothing in giant bales and repackage according to international standards for the sub-region.

The Ghanaian market takes about one third of items imported while the rest are exported to Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo among other countries.

According to Nana Brakatu-Brempong, if the new company operates outside Ghana, "it will not only lead to job loss, but also flood the markets with shoddy second hand clothing . These would have been sorted out at the plant."

Mr Klaus Muhle, Managing Director of GERMANTEX said sorting and baling is done professionally in Ghana at a much cheaper cost.

"I have heard Ghanaians cry for jobs and should this factory be liquidated, it will be a reversal of that cry", he said.

Mr Muhle said Deboir does not see the need to invest in Ghana but consider the country as only a selling point hence the intended action.