The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) on 12 October 2026 called for zero import duty on raw materials for leather makers, a month after footwear producers petitioned Parliament for relief.
The call came from a meeting of the AGI’s leather producers led by its Vice President, Dela Gadzanku. Members named high input costs, weak market access and skills shortages as the main brakes on growth. They set up an advocacy committee to take the tariff proposal to the government and other stakeholders.
Two industry bodies are now pushing for the same relief, and their combined pressure lands as the government prepares its 2027 budget, the usual vehicle for tariff and tax changes. For local workshops, the outcome will decide whether a Ghana-made shoe or bag can compete on price with imports.
The Ghana Leather and Footwear Manufacturers Association (GLFMA) set out the problem in a memorandum to Parliament’s Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism on 15 September 2026. It said local manufacturers paid cumulative duties and levies of up to 36.1 per cent on inputs such as leather sheets, soles, rubber and industrial adhesives. It also said imported finished footwear often came in at lower effective rates or through misclassification. GLFMA President Gilbert Akwasi Ntim called this an “inverted tariff structure.” He was speaking for more than 12,000 registered artisans and 3,300 workshops.
The GLFMA has asked for relief under Chapter 98 of the customs tariff, which allows concessions for specific uses. The AGI’s request for zero rating goes further.
Producers at the AGI meeting said tariff relief alone would not be enough. They want steadier demand for locally made leather goods so that firms can plan production, invest and hire. They also called for practical training for artisans and for partnerships with technical schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to close skills gaps.
On finance, the AGI said it had begun talks with the Ghana Export-Import Bank and Development Bank Ghana on possible credit lines for women in business. It expected a response within a week of the meeting. No facility has yet been agreed.
