Most Kente Weavers have become farmers due to COVID-19 - Chairman of Bonwire Kente Weavers Association

Mr. Kwadwo Amofa Stephen also addressed that government must empower trade through financial packages.

Most Kente Weavers have become farmers due to COVID-19 - Chairman of Bonwire Kente Weavers Association
Mr. Kwadwo Amofa Stephen, chairman of Kente Weavers Association

The chairman of Kente Weavers and Sellers Association, Mr. Kwadwo Amofa Stephen has affirmed that majority of Kente Weavers at Bonwire have substituted the trade for farming due to the catastrophe caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

He sadly addressed that tourists' prohibition due to the closure of borders by government is a great factor demeaning the growth of the Kente trade at Bonwire.

He cited that the shortage of yarns for weaving the rich fabrics is a threat to their capital and so and if the president of Ghana does not deliberate on different means to control the spread of the virus and totally ease restrictions, the trade would collapse with time.

 

 

“Majority of the workers have switched into farming in order to sustain themselves and their families," he said.

“The closure of the borders which has ceased movement from one country to the other has upset our trade a lot. Most of the weavers have halted for a while. Due to the limited number of people present at events like weddings and others, we have been hit and our capital has been affected.

 

 

“We are pleading on the government to help us in any way he can to revive the kente business, which is our source of life."

In an interview with SoireeNews.com, Kwadwo Amofa addressed that the president’s decision to open tourist centers and leave borders shut changed nothing stressing that the foreign exchange derived from travelers is the huge difference compared to the westerners and natives.

 

 

He added that if there were no support packages to help revive their wind up capital, by the time life returns to normalcy, a lot of traders would have given up.

“Ghanaians contribute to Kente, but tourists buy in bulk from the weaving centers. They prefer to witness how the Kente is done, which motivates them to buy more from here so the weaving centers are heavily disturbed as compared to the shops.

 

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“Although the tourist sites have begun working yet the absence of tourists has struck us. The local people make a lesser impact through sales but the measure of the foreign exchange help foreigners to contribute; however, opening the borders would influence a lot on our progress.

He referred that the ‘Year of Return’ last year was a huge benefit to the Kente Weaving trade therefore such implementations should be regularly made to create a center of attention to foreigners.

 

 

“Comparing last year to this is huge. We made many sales in the previous years because there were no restrictions and border closure. The Year of return affected our trade and we benefitted greatly from the theme.

“This is the Year of beyond but the COVID has blocked the various initiatives – people were scattering all out last year but none can be seen so this year is weird.

 

 

He called on Government to open the borders and empower traders financially to keep businesses active and functioning in such a time.