GHANA’S LAW AND POLICIES
1. Import Regulations:
Ghana currently applies import duties on secondhand clothing, and importers must
register with government authorities such as the Ghana Shippers Authority.
However, the legal framework lacks stringent quality control and supervision.
Many low-quality or rejected clothes from countries like China and the UK still
enter Ghana without sufficient regulatory oversight. There have been calls for a
robust law that would either ban or impose strict quality standards on the
importation of used clothing, including punitive measures for non-compliance and
establishment of supervising bodies. Past attempts to ban imports in 1994 and
2020 were unsuccessful due to enforcement challenges.
2. Textile Waste Management Rules:
Ghana's existing waste management laws are largely generic with no specific
provisions targeting textile or secondhand clothing waste. Waste management
infrastructure is inadequate, and the huge volume of textile waste generated
overwhelms landfill capacity and causes environmental pollution. There are
ongoing challenges in properly managing textile waste, especially at major hubs
like Accra and Kantamanto Market, where informal dumping and burning of textile
waste releases toxic pollutants.
3. Sustainable Fashion Policies:
Ghana does not yet have dedicated national policies explicitly focusing on
sustainable fashion, circular textiles, or textile waste reduction. However, there is
increasing policy discussion in governmental and regional forums about adopting
circular economy approaches and promoting sustainable production practices. This
aligns with broader environmental and industrial strategies aimed at sustainability
and waste reduction.
4. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Circular Economy Discussions:
Ghana is involved in regional and international dialogues concerning EPR and
circular economy models for textiles. The country recognizes the need for shared
responsibility between producers, importers, and governments to manage textile
waste sustainably. These discussions are linked with efforts to curb dumping of
low-quality used textiles and foster recycling, reuse, and upcycling initiatives.
However, practical implementation of EPR schemes and circular economy policies
is still in early stages.
Sources:
1. Call for the Ghana Government to ban importation of used clothes (Scientect.org,
2023)
https://scientect.org/2023/08/09/call-for-the-ghana-government-to-ban-
importation-of-used-clothes/
2. Impacts of EU Circular Textiles Policies on Trade Partners: A Case Study of Ghana
(CircularEconomy.Earth, 2025)
https://circulareconomy.earth/publications/impacts-of-eu-circular-textiles-
policies-on-trade-partners-a-case-study-of-ghana
3. 2024 Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association Report (PDF)
https://www.garsonshaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Ghana-
Report.pdf
4. Can Reviving Local Fashion Solutions Heal Ghana’s Textile Waste Crisis?
(AnalystNews.org, 2025)
https://www.analystnews.org/posts/can-reviving-local-fashion-solutions-heal-
ghanas-textile-waste-crisis
5. Import Procedures – Ghana Revenue Authority
https://gra.gov.gh/customs/import-procedures/
6. EU Exports of Used Clothing Wear Out African Second-Hand Markets
(Meta.EEB.org, 2025)
https://meta.eeb.org/2025/06/02/eu-exports-of-used-clothing-wear-out-african-
second-hand-markets/
