Some second-hand underwears
Some traders who deal in second-hand underwears in the Bolgatanga Municipality are not happy with the two-month ultimatum given by government to sell all their goods to avoid seizure.
The traders requested more time to enable them sell off their old stock, saying patronage in recent times has not been encouraging.
According to them, farmers in the municipality have invested their monies in the preparation of their farmlands ahead of the planting session due to the slow business.
Government, through the Ministry of Trade & Industry, gave the two-month ultimatum at an educational forum held in Bolgatanga in the Upper East region to the traders.
The directive is also aimed at educating participants on the harmful effects of second-hand underwears.
Kofi Amponsah Bediako, Head of Public Relations of the Ghana Standards Authority, commenting on the directive, said the forum held in Bolgatanga was part of an ongoing nationwide sensitization and education programme for the public and traders, to educate them on the existence of Act 1586 which prohibits the importation and sale of second-hand underwears in Ghana.
Despite this Act, nothing was done in the past to implement the law, even when the Legislative Instrument backing it was passed in 1994.
Many traders, who spoke to CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE, said they were unaware of a law banning the importation and sale of second-hand underwears.
“We have already bought the clothes in large quantities.
“Government will be giving us a fair treatment if the time is extended. In the first place if there is a law banning the
importation, how was it that people were allowed to bring these goods into the country, for us to also go and buy them to resell? Government or whoever is in charge of enforcing the law has erred and we have also erred in selling them, it will only be proper if government allows us some time to sell off the remaining ones so that we can get our capital back to start different businesses.”
Mr Amponsah-Bediako therefore advised people to desist from wearing second-hand braziers, panties, boxer shorts, socks and other used underwears, to avoid infection.
He assured the public that all the borders and other entry points will be closely monitored and any load of second-hand underwears will immediately be seized and destroyed.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga
