Influx of foreign goods killing local industries - ICU

Accra, April 28, GNA - The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) on Thursday said it was mounting a fair of Made in Ghana Goods as part of May Day celebration on Saturday in a bid to popularise their local patronage in support of Ghanaian industries. It said the fair to showcase manufactured goods would be mounted at the Trade Fair, La at Pavilion 'A' by some selected employers and later for sale to the public.

A statement signed by Mr Napoleon Kpoh, General Secretary of the Union said, "the influx of foreign made goods onto our market has for a long time now created an unfair competition with locally produced goods. "This has adversely affected our local industries leading to retrenchment of workers, low salaries and wages and close down of factories."

Mr Kpoh said that has affected the growth rate of the country and the ICU being the largest Trade Union and controlling the industrial sector referred to as the "Engine of Growth, "has the moral and economic obligation to support the Ghanaian industries."

He said the celebration of the May Day was coming off on Saturday, April 30 instead of Sunday May 1 to enable ICU employers and their workers in collaboration with the union launch a special campaign to support the sustenance of local industries.

The ICU has therefore chosen "Sustaining Industries - Employers/Union collaboration" as the theme of the Day. The Union is also to hold a float through Tema and Accra in two different groups who would converge at the Trade Fair. La for May Day Parade where there would be presentation of awards to deserving workers.