Ambassador Kirk continued his visit in Ghana today with a visit to Lucky 1888 Textile Mills. Lucky -- located in the free trade zone of Tema just outside of Accra -- is a true U.S-Ghana trade success story. Approximately 500 Ghanaian women have quality jobs at the factory making medical scrubs that are exported to the United States for sale at Walmart stores. Lucky Mills wouldn't exist if it weren't for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The factory specifically benefits from the Third Country Fabric provision of AGOA, which is due to expire in September. Given the importance of the Third Country Fabric Provision to the Employees of Lucky Mills, the people of Ghana, and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, Ambassador Kirk looks forward to working closely with Congress to secure the urgent renewal of this provision.
U.S Trade Representative Ron Kirk visits with workers at the Lucky Textile Mills in
Tema, Ghana.
Following Lucky Mills, Ambassador Kirk then toured Cargill's cocoa processing facility in Tema. There are currently about 420 people that are directly or indirectly employed as a result of this investment. During the tour, Ambassador Kirk and the delegation were able to see first-hand how cocoa beans are processed into cocoa powder that is exported to Europe and the United States for use in baking products for companies like General Mills and Kraft.
Lucky Mills and Cargill are proof that AGOA is working to create jobs in Africa, while helping to provide quality exports to the U.S. and world markets.
