A development expert and Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), Professor Mohammed Sumaila Asaah, has raised alarm over the growing threat posed by foreign-made imitations to the famous Bolgatanga basket industry, warning that the region risks losing a major economic opportunity if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking on Daybreak Upper East on A1 Radio on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Prof. Asaah said the Upper East Region is rich in traditional skills such as basket weaving and smock production, yet these industries remain largely underdeveloped despite their huge potential to create jobs for young people.
According to him, cheaply manufactured imitations from China are gradually flooding the market and replacing the authentic hand-woven Bolga baskets, undermining local artisans.
“A big potential lies in our weaving industry, but have you seen what China has done to it?” he questioned. “You look around Bolgatanga and you see China producing what they call Bolga baskets, and they have used rubber to make them.”
Prof. Asaah said it is worrying that machine-made products are competing with a centuries-old craft that is traditionally handwoven.
“The Bolga basket has that unique hand-woven identity and global potential. How can a rubber-produced basket come to replace a hand-woven one across the world? Who does that?” he asked.
The development expert attributed the challenge to the lack of deliberate investment and policy focus on the region’s craft industry.
“We have not really centered on these things as our strengths. That is why we have not developed the industry the way it should be,” he noted, pointing to the underdeveloped state of the Bolgatanga Craft Village.
He compared the situation in Ghana to neighboring Burkina Faso, where he said the craft industry receives far greater support and visibility.
“When you go to Ouagadougou, you will see a vibrant craft village. Sometimes traders there even come here to pick some of the items. That tells you the potential we are sitting on,” he said.
Drawing from personal experience, Prof. Asaah revealed that basket weaving played a significant role in supporting his education while growing up.
“I personally weave baskets myself. Growing up, I wove baskets to pay my school fees. So I know what this craft can do for families and communities,” he shared.
He stressed that young people in the Upper East Region are willing to work but often become discouraged due to a lack of support systems and sustainable markets.
“Sometimes we throw our hands up in despair and say the young people do not want to work. But we have also allowed them to relax because the opportunities they try to pursue are not sustainable,” he explained.
Prof. Asaah said many young people who attempt weaving or irrigation farming eventually abandon the effort because of unstable markets and poor returns.
“They want to weave, but there is no reliable market. They want to do irrigation farming, but prices drop and the parents themselves earn nothing. So where is the motivation for the young person?” he asked.
He therefore called for a deliberate strategy to develop the region’s traditional industries, stressing that investing in crafts such as basket weaving and smock production could provide sustainable employment for thousands of young people.
“We have been blessed with enormous potential in this region. The young people are ready to work. What we need is to properly develop these industries and support them to thrive,” he concluded.
A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Seidu Mutawakil | Bolgatanga
