<<Print>>

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE Local men�s shirt manufacturer, Dignity DTRT, is planning to employ 1,800 workers by December this year. The company is ready to export 29, 000 pieces of Polo shirts to the United States, taking advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which allows goods from sub Saharan Africa a quota and duty free entry into the US. Since it began operations in February this year, Dignity DTRT had so far trained and provided employment to over 500 workers and wants to employ to about 1, 800 by December. The Managing Director for Dignity DTRT, Mrs Salma Salifu, disclosed this to officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry when they visited the company�s factory to acquaint themselves with its operations. She said the company would be producing about a million Polo shirts on a monthly basis when it starts full operations next month. She said the company had a ready market in the US so it would export all its products to the US but might consider the local market later. Challenges Mrs Salifu said the company was faced with lots of challenges which included access to cheaper funds. She mentioned the cost of training which remained a challenge as its training budget for this month was estimated at US$ 160, 000. She said the company paid training allowance of GH�150, transport allowance of GH� 40 monthly to the trainees and also provided them with lunch. �The most challenging part is the training cost,� she said. Governments support Mrs Salma said the company had so far received support from the government as its factory building was provided by the MoTI. She said the MoTI also provided them with 241 electrical sewing machines. The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the MoTI, Nana Akrasi Sarpong, also stated that work was on course to provide the company with another building to enable it to employ more hands and produce more. �This is a demonstration on the part of the government to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act,� he said. GB