The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called on the government to implement a deliberate local procurement policy for textiles, garments and apparel, describing the sector as a critical but underutilised engine for job creation, industrialisation and the preservation of Ghana’s cultural identity.
Addressing the National Dialogue on Local Procurement Policy on Apparel, Garment and Textiles in Kumasi, Otumfuo said Ghana already possesses the creative talent, skilled workforce and cultural heritage needed to build a globally competitive textile industry, yet continues to depend heavily on imports for goods it has the capacity to produce domestically. His address was delivered on his behalf by Nana Addae Gyamera I, Feyiasehene.
The dialogue was organised by the Association of Ghana Apparel Manufacturers (AGAM) to accelerate the adoption of a “Buy Ghana” policy aimed at reducing import dependency and expanding local manufacturing capacity. Otumfuo said Ghana has long been “a centre of textile excellence and artistic innovation,” warning that sustained importation of clothing undermines that legacy and weakens the country’s broader industrialisation agenda.
He stressed that the textile and apparel value chain supports a wide ecosystem spanning cotton farmers, weavers, designers, tailors, printers, factory workers, retailers and exporters, and said even a single garment factory holds the potential to generate hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, particularly for youth and women.
Otumfuo urged policymakers to move beyond dialogue and enforce existing frameworks, specifically the Public Procurement Act and the Ghana Industrial Transformation Agenda, as practical tools for driving local industry. He also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an opportunity for Ghanaian textile producers to access continental markets if quality standards are met.
He called for stricter enforcement against counterfeit imports, expanded access to affordable financing and technology, and a media-led campaign to shift public perception toward locally made goods. “We must stop treating locally manufactured goods as second options,” he said, urging Ghanaians to view them as expressions of national excellence.
