Workers of Akosombo Industrial Company Limited (AICL), formerly known as Akosombo Textiles Limited (ATL), have appealed to government to accelerate negotiations with a Hong Kong-based investor seeking to revive the struggling textile firm.
Union leaders say swift approval of a proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) could stabilise the company’s finances, protect jobs and provide relief to hundreds of current and retired workers owed months of salaries and benefits.
Established in 1967, the company was once a pillar of Ghana’s textile industry, employing more than 3,500 workers at its peak. It now operates with just over 400 staff.
Stephen Nkansah, chairman of the company’s union, said AICL is struggling to meet both local and export demand. At its height, the factory produced more than 100 tonnes of textiles, including its flagship ATL Wax and Fancy Java lines, supplying markets across West Africa and beyond.
Joseph Kudjoe Botwe, the union’s executive secretary, disclosed that workers are owed about eight months’ salary, with bonuses unpaid for nearly four years. Tier-two pension contributions are also in arrears for four years, while gratuities due to employees who retired in 2024 remain unsettled.
The union attributes the company’s decline to years of weak management and underinvestment, which it says have undermined production capacity and competitiveness.
Workers are urging the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry to expedite engagement with the prospective investor and conclude the MoU to pave the way for recapitalisation and restructuring. They have also called on the Asuogyaman MP and Deputy Finance Minister, Ampem Nyarko, and the District Chief Executive, Godwin Bobobee, to support efforts to secure government approval.
AICL is currently the only textile manufacturer in Ghana producing RealWax fabric, a premium product long associated with the company’s brand.
Union leaders argue that reviving the factory aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s proposed 24-hour economy programme, which seeks to promote round-the-clock production in key sectors, deepen value addition, expand industrial capacity and create jobs. They maintain that restoring operations at AICL would stimulate economic activity in the Eastern Region and strengthen local manufacturing.
