Workers from three textiles firms; Printex Ghana Limited, Akosombo Textiles Limited and Tex Styles GTP have said that they will demonstrate on the streets on March 9 to bring to light some concerns in the sector.

He denied allegations that the union has planned this demonstration to discredit the new government.

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“Sometimes you may think we are very hard but that is what you have to do to make sure that things are done right, these are challenges that he (trade minister) is going to face.  We as the labour Union, we are not going to do things to frustrate him; he must be allowed to work and any advice they want from unions we are prepared to help after-all it’s  the results that we want.”

“And if the results are favourable to the ordinary worker why would we work against the government that will make sure businesses thrive.”

He said the current situation at the Tema Industrial area is pathetic. Most of the textile-producing companies have dismissed some staff and also rented parts of their offices as warehouses to other companies.

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“It’s a pity if you go to the Tema industrial area you will weep; if you see how companies have collapsed, a whole lot of industries , TTL, GTP, GTMC have all deteriorated. And some have been rented out as warehouses; it’s a pity,”  Koomson said.

In the 1970s, the industry had a huge workforce of 25,000, but it now employs about 1,700 following the lack of effective policies to deal with the smuggling menace.

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From about 20 companies existing in the 80s, only about 8 remains.

Some of them still trying to keep pace in the market in the face of unfair competition from pirated designs include Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL), Textile Printex and the Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company (GTMC) and Ghana Textiles Limited (GTP).

The Union has served the police a notice to allow its members demonstrate on the said date.