Kufuli hizi za mtumba zaleta kizaazaa............

Ghana's ban on second hand underwear stir fury

Bales of second hand clothes. Photo | FILE | AFRICAREVIEW |

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE in Accra

Posted Sunday, December 5 2010 at 15:18

An announcement by the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) trashing second hand undergarments has revived an old debate in the West African country.

According to the board, the country is now ready to fully enforce a 1994 legislative Instrument that banned the importation, clearance from the ports of entry and sale of used under-garments in the country.

Mr Kofi Nagetey of the board registered his disappointment with importers of used clothing who have ignored the ban imposed on the used undergarments including brassieres, pants, handkerchiefs and singlet. Second hand undergarments often cause bacterial and fungal infections that usually affect the skin. These infections include itching in the groin area, athlete's foot, candidiasis and yeast infections.

Swoops

But, in a reaction, an executive member of the used clothing importers in Accra, Mr. Daniel Ankomah said, this cannot be true because "the used clothes are sprayed [with disinfectants] in the exporting country. I've been to some factories in Hamburg and the goods are sprayed and inspected by experts before exporting".

"The authorities should focus attention on poor environmental sanitation which poses serious health risks to the populace, because no medical facility has reported ailments associated with wearing of used under clothing".

In spite of this, Mr Nagetey said, the Board "would would strictly enforce a ban on the importation, distribution and sale of used undergarments from February next year."

"The GSB would undertake swoops with the security agencies to get rid of used undergarments on the market and all consignments of used undergarments would be inspected by the GSB before release at the various ports and entry points," he added.

Mr Nagetey said, any consignment of used goods found to contain any undergarments would be confiscated and destroyed.

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