The Ministry of Trade and Industry, would re- launch the national Friday wear, as part of the Trade Sector Support programme.
A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday by the sector Minister, Ms Hanna S. Tetteh, said a number of activities had been lined up in all the regions as part of the programme, which was also intended to resuscitate the operations of the textile industry.
The national Friday wear programme, introduced by the Kufuor government, set aside Fridays for workers in the public and private sectors to wear locally designed garments.
Ms Tetteh said the Friday wear was a catch-phrase chosen to create the desired impression in peoples mind with the ultimate objective to increase the demand for locally manufactured textiles particularly African prints.
She said the textile companies were challenged by importers who smuggled textiles into the country and failed to pay the required duties.
Ms Tetteh noted that local textile designs are copied and reproduce with their logos.
Ms Tetteh said the local textiles manufacturers continued to face unhealthy competition from textile imports, adding that the debilitating effects were that, many factories had to close down resulting in unemployment and further decline in the textiles sector of the economy.
She observed that the Ministry views the media as a major stakeholder to assist in efforts to resuscitate the operations of the textiles through awareness creation and promotion of the national interest.