Political situation in Ghana

Ghana joins forces behind fugu after clothing mockery

The traditional and colorful garment fugu has gained momentum in Ghana, writes AP. The reason is that President John Dramani Mahama was mocked on social media after he visited Zambia wearing the caftan-like garment in February.

Ghana's population reacted by defending the cultural heritage. Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie took it a step further and declared Wednesdays "fugu days".

- It makes me feel rooted in my origins, says businessman Wango Abdul Karim, who wears fugu to work every Wednesday. 

Weavers in Ghana have difficulty meeting demand

Weavers in Ghana are having difficulty scaling up their production in line with the increased demand for traditional fugu garments, reports AP.

The garments are handcrafted in the same way they have been made for generations. The fabric is traditionally woven from cotton strips on narrow looms in the savannah areas of the north. They are then sewn together to form a kind of loose-fitting tunic, where regional characteristics are visible in the stripe patterns and the number of stitches.

The Ghana Weavers Association is now seeking more money from the government to increase production with industrial machines.

“Working by hand slows down the process and limits our productivity,” says secretary Abigail Naki Gabor.

Meanwhile, Accra’s young fashion designers are working to use fugu fabric for garments in more modern cuts and to preserve cultural heritage.

“If we just treat it as a commodity and not as a cultural heritage, we are losing something important,” designer Perfectual Linnan told the news agency.