The Old Tafo Moro Market shoemakers have urged Ghanaians to patronize made in Ghana products in the new year to facilitate production and encourage better services by local manufacturers.

The indigenous shoe market has been taken over by Chinese productions due to its affordable pricing and sparkling finishing which attracts consumers to forbid the made in Ghana goods.

Per the words of the Leader of Moro Market shoemakers, Mr Kuffuor Boakye, the nine months’ interruption caused by the coronavirus brought an increase in patronage when foreign products were ceased from entering the shores of Ghana due to the closure of borders by the president, Nana Akufo Addo as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.

He told Soireenews that the survey during the pandemic indicated that if government regulate importation of foreign produce, the local industry will survive for the country's benefit.

“When the Chinese product importation stopped during the coronavirus era, indeed, people patronized a lot of our products and we saw hope in our trade should there be a limit in foreign products,” he said.

“The Chinese products are not durable and consumers really complain a lot after purchasing. They later bring their products for repair after days and always expect us to work on them to last longer. Our case is that; why do we produce hard-wearing products yet Chinese shoddy goods keep coming into the country. It is purposely to distract our trade.

"We would have accepted to compete with them if the Chinese goods are better than ours, yet it is not so, therefore, the government must come to our aid,” he added.

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The issue of Ghanaians wearing the foreign-made products is not only about its appearance but low price level as compared to the locally manufactured once which stands tall.

Mr Kuffuor Boakye revealed the cause as a result of the high import duties on raw materials for production which individually affects locally manufacturers of casual and office wears.

“The raw materials for production through the ports are levied with higher taxes which affects our productions. Remember that Chinese raw materials are made affordable for production before imports because they are their own producers. That defines our price and theirs and its really affecting us very well.

“The truth is that Chinese wears are very bright and sparling yet have the shortest duration although ours have the challenge of attraction but very durable. The government must help us acquire the needed equipment to improve our trade to attract consumers since we already have the capacity to make them durable.

He finally urged the “Government to invest in the shoe factory to create major employment as it was some years ago.”

Speaking to Francis Owusu Ansah, a shoemaker at Kumasi Moro Market, he asserted that government’s One District One Factory initiative is one key approach to raise the standard of the Shoe Factory in Ghana; a program which would revive the profession and help curb unemployment in the Ashanti Region and Ghana as a whole.

“The Chinese have got machines for the work and the finishing is expert than ours due to their advance knowledge and the implementation of technology.

“Majority of our own people look down on our work to the extent the people patronize more on the made in China goods due to its furnishing. If government limits importation of such, it would encourage consumers to patronize on ours.

"We can market all we want and if the government does nothing about importation, we must forget it.

"The one district one factory is a good hope and we are waiting for us to be involved in order to resolve the unemployment issues arising on our trade. We have been forsaken and its really affecting our us and families so the government should help us.”