Chinese-made school uniforms arrive

Our investigations at various markets in Accra have revealed the presence of readymade Chinese-made school uniforms for JHS pupils. Our reporters detected that traders do not display the Chinese shirts but produce them on demand, perhaps to avoid nosy media like Public Agenda.

One of the readymade shirts bought by Public Agenda had a label, "JSS/PRIMARY SCHOOL" sewn on the collar of the shirt with inside label reading "65% Polyester, 35% Cotton. The manufacturer of this brand of shirt is named as 'Hecho en China' was boldly written on the label.

They only display the locally made ones and only produce them upon request by customers.

The uniforms folded with cardboard inside them are selling at GHc7 and those folded ordinarily without cardboard are going for GHc6.

The General Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Mr. Abraham Koomson, stated they are getting more worried because as at now no orders have been placed for production by local textile companies. In fact the importation of readymade uniforms from China means Ghanaian tailors will lose out of the expected income from the scheme.

"If this is happening after the President's intervention, then it is bad. It seems there are people in the system who are doing everything possible to undermine government's effort in helping to revive the local manufacturing industry."

Meanwhile, Public Agenda has gathered that a government delegation embarked on a trip to China on Friday, September 11, to conclude the contract for the importation of readymade free school uniforms from China.

Our sources at the Ministries hinted that the delegation was led by no less a person than, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Miss Hannah Tetteh and included the Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and one George Lawson, a special assistant to the Minister of Education.

The trip was under the guise of participating in an investment forum on behalf of Ghana but worried sources within the government setup said it was to seal the school uniform contract.

The Trade Minister returned on Monday, 14 September, just on time to join the inauguration of a whopping 47-member Ghana AIDS Commission Board by President John Evans Atta Mills earlier in the week.

Miss Tetteh was visibly worried when Public Agenda first published the report titled "Chinese Firms Get School Uniform Contract", which exposed how her efforts at supporting local industries were being undermined by her colleagues at the Ministry of Education, who awarded the contract to Chinese firms. The publication sparked national outcry and compelled Vice President John Mahama to call a stakeholders' meeting at which he directed that the contract be awarded to local industries. It appears though that the Vice President's directive has been flouted with the latest twist involving not only the Ministry of Education, but the Ministry of Trade and Industry; a clear case of 'doublespeak', given the Trade and Industry Minister's initial stance against the deal. Perhaps, Miss Tetteh went to China in her capacity as Trade Minister, leaving behind her industry portfolio.

In a bid to throw dust in the eyes of the public, a pro-government newspaper, The Ghanaian Lens reported in its Tuesday, 15th September edition (after the delegation had returned) that the government had 'successfully concluded" a contract with Printex, a local company to supply the free school uniform. The paper categorically stated that it was left with Parliament, which is on recess to approve the tax waiver to enable the company start production. Between now and the time Parliament approves the tax waivers, Printex will not be able to produce to meet the deadline. This means from now, any school uniform that will be delivered to the children will be Chinese made.

When Public Agenda contacted Printex, to confirm the report by Ghanaian Lens that the company had been given the contract, Mr. Moses Zizier , the Administrative Manager of Printex said there had not been any new development after the meeting with the Vice President, a few weeks back. He recalls that after the meeting with the Vice President, Printex had an invitation from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to present a quotation to enable them to harmonise the prices.

He said about two weeks ago, the MOE wrote to the Ministry of Finance to request for a waiver of NHIL and VAT and copied the letter to Printex. "Since then we have not heard anything from them", Mr. Zizier stressed.