Second-hand underwear in Ghana and many other African countries continues to remain at its bloom even after the enforcement of the ban placed on used underwear since 2011, of LI 1586 in Ghana.
Authorities have necessitated the ban to overall public health safety as they say these materials are unhygienic. Y. M. Muthiani and two others from Kenya in their research paper titled; potential skin pathogens on second hand clothes and the effectiveness of disinfection methods reported that second hand clothes are often contaminated with several bacterial and fungi, which remains on the clothes even after washing with ordinary soap and for that reason, the lead cause of skin infection experienced by users even after decontamination procedures. Relatedly, panties and socks were found to have the highest contamination with average plate counts of 673.25 and 545 respectively, whereas towels and bras were found to have 470 and 412 respectively of contamination. Samples of materials were taken from Gikomba, the largest second hand goods market in Kenya.
Also in another publication seemingly agreeing with Y. M. Muthiani’s assertions, suggests second hand clothes pose a major health risk to the public and may be a conveyor of candidiasis, hepatitis A, B and C, ringworm, scabies. The paper, published in 2015 on a title; isolation and characterization of microorganisms associated with second hand female undergarments and children wear sold in Makurdi Metropolis-Nigeria, recommends the avoidance of second hand undergarments or that consumers wash them with strong detergents.
All the same, traders and consumers of second hand undergarments say, they believe there’s no kind of bacteria in the garment, with some of them saying they wash them before wearing.
2013 figures from the United Nations Comtrade Database reported that Ghana spent $65 million on imported second hand clothes of which additionally ranked the country as the second highest importer of used clothes from the UK. The price of a bra can go as low as Ghc 1.00 or 2.00 with the highest reaching Ghc 20.00 or Ghc 25.00, estimated around $ 4 or $ 5. Interestingly, the price of an unused bra from a local retailer is sold around the same price of Ghc20.00 to Ghc 25.00, after a successful bargain. Eunice, a trader in second hand brassier at Kantamanto in Accra says she has been selling for 19 years. She tells me customers prefer the used underwear because it is comfortable and fits perfectly at the back, making it a quality choice for her buyers. She also tells me the market yields good profits for her, as she sometimes makes Ghc 1000.00 a day.
In as much as used undergarments may pose health dangers, Ghanaians and by extension many African countries with large markets for these materials are upbeat with business regardless of the seemingly noisy laws by authorities which imposes a ban on these materials. Additionally, many average and low income Ghanaians find these products within the reach of their income levels.
In 1994, Ghana passed a legislative Instrument(LI) 1586, which bans the importation, clearance and sale of used undergarments of any type, form or description, whether purchased, donated or procured in any other manner. However, the law only received enforcement in 2011. Like Ghana, the rest of Africa followed in the same manner, particularly countries in East Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and others. In the same year of enforcement of the LI in Ghana, Zimbabwe also passed it law, LI 150, which like Ghana, also banned the importation and selling of second hand undergarment. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority also charged 40 percent duty, 15 percent VAT and a $3 penalty for every kg of imported underwear. Countries in the East African Community have also joined in the ban, more generally on banning the import of second hand clothing. In 2016, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda, making up the East Africa Community (EAC), decided to phase out second hand clothing in 2019, with reasons to boost industrialization. 2019 is months away, the ability of these countries to totally ban second hand clothing may be met with little success, even now that the UNITED STATES wants these countries to adhere to the African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA).
By Gifty Danso
