Fashion industry an avenue for more jobs, wealth

The Managing Director of KBA Multimedia, Ms. Aku-SikaKpene has said that Ghana’s fashion industry could be a major avenue for youth employment if government and corporate bodies step-in- to support of the industry.

According to her, the global fashion industry is a multi-billion dollar industry which serves as a major draw card for tourists and could contribute to the country’s economic development.

“The Oxford Economics 2014 Research commissioned by the British Fashion Council revealed that, the direct value of the fashion industry to the U.K. economy presently stands at £26 billion, up from £21 billion in 2009. The report also estimated that over 797,000 people are employed in the UK fashion industry. It also revealed the sector is the largest employer of all creative industries”, she cited in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Ms. Aku-SikaKpene said KBA Multimedia was collaborating with the organizers of the ground-breaking event dubbed: “EFFECTS STYLE AND SOUND” to celebrate and promote African culture- through African fashion and entertainment- in a unique style to rest of the world.

She said the skyrocketing youth unemployment rate in the country was one of the major reasons why KBA Multimedia was collaborating with Effect International Magazine from UK and Zein Media Advertising Ghana- to organize the event; to draw attention to the potential of fashion and the creative arts as a whole in reducing youth unemployment in Ghana and Africa in general.

“We are urging the general public to patronize African fashion to create employment and wealth. No poverty alleviation strategy will solve our poverty issues unless we grow, eat, wear and patronize our products ourselves”, she added.

Ms. Aku-SikaKpene congratulated the government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GPIC), Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) in the milestone they have achieved, and called on other stakeholders to come to their aid.

She also urged everybody to value African fashion high above foreign fashion.