Former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, has boasted of being the originator of a well-known initiative in Ghana that seeks to ensure the patronage of made-in-Ghana goods.
According to Mr Kyerematen, he is the brain behind the “Friday wear” agenda which has now been widely accepted by Ghanaians.
In an interview on Citi TV with host Bernard Avle, he noted that he conceived the idea during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor as Minister of Trade and Industry.
“I introduced the Friday wear during my term of office under President Kufuor’s administration. The whole objective was to get us as a people to be proud of what we produce.”
He indicated that the initiative “gave a strong stimulus to the textile industry, our tailors and seamstresses.”
“It was an entry point strategy when I said Friday wear. You know Ghana, so conservative. I wasn’t sure that if you made it everyday from the beginning, people would buy into it. But once people got comfortable. As much as possible, I try to wear made in Ghana always,” he added.
Schools, workplaces have all adopted the “Friday wear” agenda where on Fridays, outfits made from Ghanaian fabric are worn to encourage the use of made-in-Ghana goods.