The Ranking Member of the Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak, has described as hypocritical if it is indeed true that government ordered the importation of textiles for new school uniforms for Junior High Schools.
Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Apaak said that allowing local textile manufacturers to handle production was a good avenue for government to revamp the collapsing industry.
“In an economy that is so tight and employment opportunities being so scarce. With the volumes at stake, not only will it employ additional labour, that additional income will certainly have a positive impact not just on them but the economy as a whole. We should be very honest in calling the government out for double standards or if you like for being hypocritical.”
The Textiles Workers had raised concerns about the alleged importation of the new uniforms introduced by the GES stating that the action makes no sense alleging that the importation defeats government’s message of creating jobs for the youth, especially when foreign firms are engaged in the production of the uniforms.
“You can’t say you are doing your best to create employment opportunities for the good people of this country and yet when there obvious avenues through which the people can be properly engaged you give those avenues to foreigners because somebody is waiting to have a per cent cut.”
Importation of uniform claims false – GES
Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has asked the general public to disregard the claims by the Textiles Workers Union that government had imported its new school uniform for Junior High Schools.
According to GES, it has not awarded any contract to any local or foreign firm to bring the fabric into the country.
In a statement, the GES said that the claims made by the textiles workers are baseless and must be treated with the contempt it deserves.
“The attention of Management of the Ghana Education Service has been drawn to discussions in the media on alleged importation of school uniforms into the country by the Ghana Education Service. Management of GES wishes to make it clear that the story is baseless and has no merit whatsoever.”
“The GES wishes to state that it has not imported, neither has it contracted any individual, locally or internationally to bring in the new uniform for Junior High Schools”, GES noted.