The Textiles, Garment and Leather Workers Union, T?GLEU has expressed shock at President Kufuor?s comments about the problems facing the textiles industry.
According to the union, the President?s statements on May Day were intimidating and showed that the government was either not ready to address the concerns or simply had no answers to the problems.
Textiles companies have been complaining about the adverse effect of cheap imported textiles on their products. A phenomenon, which is beginning to affect European countries as well with imports from China. But reacting to those concerns President Kufuor took a swipe at the labour unions, saying government is doing its best.
He says Ghana cannot subsidize the textiles companies, as is the case in Nigeria, because the country does not have the resources to do so.
The General Secretary of T?GLEU, Abraham Koomson, says the President?s comments are shocking.
He says the tripartite committee had formed a sub-committee, which has been looking at solutions to the problems with the sector Minister.
Mr Koomson told Joy News that even before the commencement of Monday?s May Day parade, the Minister, Joseph Ada had assured him that all was going well
? It is too bad for the president to make such comments, why?, at the tripartite committee level the issue has been take up, a committee has been put in place and a report has been submitted and now the president says there is no way. It means that they don?t know how to solve the problems of Ghana. They should admit it, I couldn?t believe it, I couldn?t believe my ears, I thought I was dreaming,? he says
Mr Koomson says the union is meeting on Tuesday to decide on the next action. He says the textiles industry is suffering from dumping, that must be addressed.
? Maybe government or some people in government are benefiting from this dumping. We are not saying that they should do what Nigeria is doing, the only thing we want is to make known that we are being affected by the dumping,? he says.
Source: GhanaWeb
