Former Second Lady Samira Bawumia
The Kente Weavers Association in Techiman in the Bono East Region has commended former Second Lady Samira Bawumia for her taste in locally-made products.
Susana Bamila, a Kente weaver and former Treasurer of the Association, said Bawumia’s preference for locally woven clothes and products has inspired and kept many of the weavers in business.
“We admire her a lot for her delight in locally-made products, and that has encouraged us to remain in business and produce more. We always see the former Second Lady dressed in local fabrics, and that is highly inspiring,” she said.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Techiman, the Bono Regional capital, as Ghana marks Heritage Month, Bamila expressed concern about the poor patronage of locally-made products.
According to her, it is difficult for the association to innovate and weave more locally-made clothes and products, as the poor patronage of the products has caused many of the weavers to suffer economic losses.
“We are unable to bring more initiatives into the business because if you do so, Ghanaians will not even buy the local cloth. We call on the government to do something to make the industry attractive and to also increase Ghanaians’ appetite for locally-made products,” she lamented.
Bamila said the industry has huge economic prospects that could widen the nation’s foreign income earnings. She added that significant investments ought to be made in the industry to create jobs for the youth and preserve the nation’s culture and traditions.
“Our association used to produce huge quantities of the local Kente cloth. However, the poor patronage has discouraged many of the weavers because when they produce, they don’t get a ready market for their products,” she stated.
She expressed worry that the raw materials for the local fabric remain expensive, thereby making the cost of the locally-made cloth and products higher as well.
Susan Bawa, an apprentice at the Bono East Regional Secretariat for the Centre for National Culture Weavers Centre, indicated that weaving remains a lucrative business only when the products have a ready market with encouraging patronage.
Comparatively, she noted that though the locally-made products seem expensive, they reflect the true culture and identity of the people. She urged Ghanaians to develop a taste for them and patronise them to preserve their identity and dignity as Ghanaians.
“Our products are of high quality, and we should not forget that if we buy them, we also contribute to the economic development of the nation,” Bawa stated.
Watch the latest episode of Talkertainment below:
