KNUST Don Calls for Urgent Rescue of Ghana's Collapsed Textile Sector

A professor from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has made a passionate call for the revival of Ghana's once-thriving textile and apparel industry, arguing that the country is squandering a golden opportunity to create jobs and transform its economy.

The academic noted that the global textile and apparel sector currently employs more than 300 million people worldwide and is valued at trillions of dollars — yet Ghana has consistently failed to tap into its significant potential within this lucrative industry.

Ghana's textile sector, which was a major employer in the mid-20th century with factories such as Akosombo Textiles Limited (ATL) and Ghana Textile Printing (GTP) operating at full capacity, has experienced a sharp decline over the decades. Cheap imports, particularly from Asia, alongside economic mismanagement and inadequate policy support, have been widely blamed for the industry's collapse.

Jobs and Industrial Transformation at Stake

The KNUST professor stressed that a well-resourced and policy-driven revival of the sector could deliver substantial employment, particularly for women and young Ghanaians, while also boosting local manufacturing and reducing the country's dependence on imports.

His call aligns with broader conversations around Ghana's industrialisation agenda, including past government initiatives such as the One District, One Factory programme, which sought to stimulate local production across various sectors including textiles. Experts say sustained political will, investment in modern equipment, and protection of local producers from cheap foreign goods are essential for any meaningful recovery.

Stakeholders in Ghana's fashion and manufacturing space have long echoed similar sentiments, urging successive governments to introduce stronger trade policies and incentives that would make local textile production competitive both at home and on the African continent under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.