The Ghana Leather and Footwear Manufacturers Association (GLFMA) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as the “systematic destruction” of Ghana’s local footwear industry by the massive influx of cheap Chinese shoe imports.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, President of the Association, Gilbert Akwasi Ntim, accused authorities of failing to protect local manufacturers while foreign products continue to dominate the Ghanaian market.
According to him, over 70 percent of footwear sold in Ghana between 2024 and 2025 came from China, with imports valued at more than $40 million, while Ghana’s footwear exports remained below $1 million.
He said the development has forced many local shoe producers and leather artisans out of business, especially in Kumasi, Accra and Takoradi, while thousands of young people trained in leatherwork and shoemaking remain unemployed.
“Our silence has become a luxury we can no longer afford,” Mr. Ntim declared, describing the situation as an economic emergency.
The Association claimed that local manufacturers are struggling under huge tax burdens on imported raw materials, while some importers allegedly evade taxes by misclassifying finished shoes as rubber waste at the ports.
Source: Swift News
