On April 11, the Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association (GUCDA) organized a demonstration in response to what traders believed to be ongoing misinformation about their industry.
The peaceful protest aimed to highlight the financial and environmental advantages of Ghana’s secondhand clothing trade. Additionally, the GUCDA used the event to criticize a campaign by the non-governmental organization, The Or Foundation, which has allegedly sought to hold merchants in Kantamanto accountable for global overconsumption issues. Protesters emphasized the need to focus on fundamental problems such as overproduction, inadequate waste management systems, and the importance of enhancing investments in Africa’s circular economies.
What prompted the strike among Ghana’s secondhand clothing traders?
Concerns arose after The Or Foundation and its affiliates reportedly disseminated misleading statistics and alarming imagery, igniting international discourse on waste disposal in Ghana. Members of the GUCDA were worried that these claims could jeopardize their livelihoods.
The GUCDA also challenged the commonly cited statistic that “40–50%” of imported secondhand clothing ends up as waste, asserting that this figure originated from questionable research conducted by The Or Foundation on a limited scale.
The Or Foundation had not responded to Just Style’s request for a comment before publication.
Jeffren Abrokwah, chairman of the GUCDA, stated: “We will not remain silent while our work is discredited.
“Traders work tirelessly to give a second life to clothing that would otherwise end up in landfills in Europe or America. We refuse to allow the trade and the image of Ghana to be tarnished by the OR Foundation’s false narratives. It is especially painful that an organization claiming to champion sustainability is spreading lies about a thriving, sustainable trade that supports livelihoods and clothes millions of our people, all while benefiting from fast fashion money. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
He continued: “We are the ones cleaning up the fashion industry’s mess, not causing it. All we ask for is respect and honesty.”
Reaction to the Strike
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has indicated plans for a nationwide demonstration in support of secondhand clothing dealers, viewing recent events as targeted attempts to dismantle their trade.
Local news source Citinewsroom reported that the leadership of the Kantamanto market publicly refuted the claims made by GUCDA, calling them misleading and not representative of the overall sentiment within the market community.
The market’s leadership reiterated its commitment to transparency, sustainability, and its ongoing collaboration with The Or Foundation. They emphasized that the Ghana secondhand clothing trade is vital for many livelihoods and should be viewed through a lens of environmental and economic benefit. The continued support for the Ghana secondhand clothing trade is essential for fostering sustainable practices and improving the local economy.
