The Ghana Leather and Footwear Manufacturers Association (GLFMA) has petitioned Parliament for urgent policy intervention and customs duty relief under Chapter 98 for raw materials used in the local leather and footwear industry.
In an official memorandum submitted to the Clerk to Parliament and addressed to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, the association said the existing tariff structure placed local manufacturers at a significant disadvantage.
It said local manufacturers currently paid cumulative duties and levies of up to 36.1 per cent on essential production inputs, including leather sheets, soles, rubber and industrial adhesives.
In contrast, the association said imported finished footwear often entered the domestic market at lower effective tariff rates or through misclassification.
Speaking on behalf of more than 12,000 registered artisans and 3,300 manufacturing workshops, the President of the GLFMA, Gilbert Akwasi Ntim, said the existing tax structure threatened thousands of local jobs and put additional pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
“Our sector currently suffers under an inverted tariff structure where imported raw manufacturing materials attract cumulative port duties up to 36.1 per cent, while foreign finished footwear frequently enters under lower effective tariffs,” Mr Ntim said.
“This brief outlines verifiable baseline data, economic impact projections, and actionable policy proposals to protect local manufacturing jobs and reduce foreign exchange pressures,” he added.
The association submitted 20 copies of its executive brief, titled: ‘Urgent Policy Intervention: Customs Duty Relief under Chapter 98 for Raw Material Inputs in the Local Leather and Footwear Manufacturing Sector.’
The executive leadership of the GLFMA has requested that the memorandum be laid before the Parliamentary Select Committee for consideration during its upcoming sittings.
The association has also offered to appear before the committee to present an oral briefing and provide technical justification for its proposals.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI
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