There was a lot of talking going on at the GFZA Head Office recently. Dr. Mary Awusi, the Chief Executive Officer, sat down with the Association of Ghana Apparel Manufacturers (AGAM) to really dig into what’s stopping the textile and garment sector from picking up speed. It’s one of those meetings that feels necessary, you know? The smell of stale coffee from the boardroom was still hanging in the air when the group started picking apart the licensing fees and all that messy administrative red tape.
It’s not just about paperwork, though. The industry is trying to be competitive in the sub-region, but the import and export bottlenecks keep popping up like a recurring headache. Nura Salifu, the president of AGAM—who also runs Sixteen47 Limited—was there pushing for some real answers. Along with him were folks like Kwasi Ofori-Antwi and Abena Gyamfi from the Ministry of Trade. They all seemed to agree that the current situation, well, it could be better. Or maybe it just needs more focus.
Actually, the conversation shifted back and forth quite a bit. They covered a lot of ground regarding how to make the Free Zones Scheme actually work for the people on the ground. It’s funny how these meetings go; you start with one specific complaint about a fee, and suddenly you’re deep into a discussion about the entire operational efficiency of the local textile market.
Misryoum notes that the dialogue was meant to be a way forward, not just a vent session. Both the GFZA and the AGAM executives seemed pretty determined, but we’ll see if the planned measures—whatever they eventually turn into—actually make life easier for the manufacturers.
It’s a long road ahead for the sector.
They did commit to keeping the lines of communication open, which is good. The directors and the department heads from the GFZA were there, too, taking notes and trying to answer the tough questions. Whether this results in a real, lasting change for the garment industry is something that remains to be seen, but at least the parties are talking about the right stuff now. I mean, they have to, right? The industry relies on it.