Government to revamp GIHOC Footwear

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, on Monday said the government will revamp the GIHOC Footwear Company in Kumasi to create jobs for the youth.

As a first step, the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARCC) would convene a meeting to solve an impasse between Nana Agyeman Tietoa, Juansahene and Managing Director of the Company and the workers as well as individuals and companies, which have rented warehouses of the company for their operations.

Mr Boafo announced this after inspecting the premises as part of his familiarisation tour of establishments in the region.

Mr Peter Nkansah, Chief Engineer of the company, said about 600 million cedis would be required to revamp the company and employ additional workers to the current 75 workers.

He said since 1982, activities of the company went down due to the failure of government institutions and the security agencies to place orders for their products.

Mr Nkansah said with the present state of the machines and equipment it could produce about 200 pairs of various types and sizes of shoes, boots and sandals for institutions a day.

He said some of their warehouses were rented to some people to generate funds to keep the company running but their major problem has been patronage of their products.