Ministry of Trade and Industry affirms stand against counterfeit goods
Nii Ansah-Adjaye, Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), has re-affirmed government’s commitment to enforce special border measures, under the World Trade Organisation Agreement to prevent counterfeit goods from entering the country.
To this end, he said, security agencies, has a crucial role to increase their numerical strengthened at the borders to clamp down on the nefarious activities of smugglers.
Nii Ansah-Adjaye made the call at a day’s training programme in Tema for officials of the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority, on pirated textile prints at the nation’s border frontiers.
It was organised by Textile Manufacturing Companies in the Metropolis with technical support from MOTI.
The programme, the first in a series for Customs officials under a Memorandum of Understanding, with domestic manufacturers of African Textile Prints, was aimed at sharpening the knowledge and skills of the participants about the textile industry, in order to clamp down on piracy.
The Chief Director underscored the need to protect the intellectual property rights of holders to encourage investment in innovation and research.
He therefore charged the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Food and Drugs Board and other regulatory agencies to intensify their market surveillance to get rid of all fake goods.
He pledged MOTI’s commitment to create a level playing field for all stakeholders in the Textile Industry, and to ensure that the interest of manufacturers, traders and consumers, are equally protected.
“We welcome the importation of genuine and quality textiles from other countries, even if their prices are lower and more affordable to ordinary consumers.”
Nii Ansah-Adjaye gave government’s assurance to provide the needed conducive environment to enable textile manufacturers to produce for both the domestic and export markets.
He said MOTI would not succumb to pressures from anybody who condones the nefarious activities of smugglers to flood the Ghanaian market with counterfeit and inferior goods.
Major-General Carl Modey, Commissioner of Customs, advised the personnel to give the training programme the seriousness it deserve in order to flush out all saboteurs and nation wreckers from the borders and other entry points.
He urged members of the textile manufacturing companies to furnish customs officials with intelligent information on the activities of textile importers for the law to take its course.
Mr Abraham Koomson, General Secretary of the Textile, Garment and Leather Employees Union said next week, customs officials around Aflao- the country’s eastern borders, would benefit from the training programme.
Prince I. K. Arthur, Chief Standards Officer, and Head of Destination Inspection Department of the GSB, urged the Vetting Committee on Importation of Traditional African Textile Prints, not to compromise on their mandate to ensure that only registered companies do business with them in consonance with the requirements of the Registrar-General’s Department.
Source: GNA