Volta Region Set For Anti-Counterfeit Electrical Products Sensitization

Ho, Jan. 2, CDA Consult – Stakeholders in the Volta Region has developed a strategic roadmap to sensitize the public against patronage of counterfeit electrical products in markets across the region.

The stakeholders has therefore selected ten districts across the region to hold workshops, public education and demonstration on how to identify genuine products from fake once.

The districts are; Ketu, Hohoe, Kadjabi, South Danyi, Nkwanta, Ho, Kete-Krachi, Kpando and Tongu.

The stakeholders including Electrical Appliance Dealers, Electrical Contractors, Regional Fire Service, Regional Police Command, Regional Electricity Company of Ghana, Volta Regional Coordinating Council, Academia and Media Practitioners, developed the roadmap at a workshop organised and sponsored by Communication for Developed and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) at Ho.

The Ho workshop, which was the first in a series of nationwide public education initiative by CDA Consult, dubbed: “Avoid Patronage of Counterfeit Electrical Products,” seeks assist stakeholders to identify counterfeit electrical products on the market.

Stakeholders are also being expose to dangers associated with the patronage of counterfeit electrical products, as well as create a platform for security operatives and others to enforce laws against sale of counterfeit products in the country.

The Anti-counterfeiting educational crusade being undertaking by the CDA Consult also seeks to help professionals understand the dangers associated with counterfeit electrical products.

The Ho Stakeholders who after going through tutelage from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), ECG, the Regional Fire Service, Regional Police and other authorities commended CDA Consult for initiating the public education platform.

Mr Francis Mensah Akpaloo, an Engineer at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) disclosed that the unauthenticity of some electrical products including cables and Compact fluorescent lamps and/or energy saving bulbs, cannot be guaranteed.

Mr Akpaloo, noted that most of the products on the market had failed value and quality tests by the Authority and called on the public to avoid patronage of these fake products.

He said 52.5 per cent of tested energy saving bulbs have been identified to be inferior and that it was difficult to monitor the number in circulation, as dealers had been evading testing and standard certification.

Mr Akpaloo said the law mandates third-party testing at a nationally recognised laboratory and electrical products were tested based on rated and measured power, and minimum and maximum flux required.

He said counterfeiters are not concerned about user safety and therefore do not conform to any safety regulations and labelling requirements.

Mr Akpaloo said compact florescent bulbs rated above 60 watts are fake and cautioned against their patronage.

On how to stop the supply chain and protect customers from potential harm, he advised consumers to purchase from manufacturers’ authorised distributors and retailers.

Mr Akpaloo also asked that labels and packaging be scrutinised for authentic marking and also to question bargains because it helps to compare the price of products to similar products at different retailer.

He said the main aim of counterfeiting is to make profits and described as a form of customer fraud, the sale of product purporting to be what it was not it is not.

The GSA Engineer Commended CDA Consult for setting the stage for broader stakeholder engagement to deal with counterfeiters in the country.

Alhaji Gibril Nuhu, Second in Command of the Volta Regional Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) also called on the general public to patronise quality electrical products towards reducing the frequency of electrical fires.

He noted that inferior electrical cables generates heat and broke insulations, circuit breakers fail to automatically prevent fires, and power regulators also fail to sustain currents.

Alhaji Nuhu said electricity in itself was a hazard that required special attention to operate efficiently yet in a bid to cut costs, consumers often resorted to substandard products and risked electrocutions, damage to products, fires and explosion.

He said an increasing number of fire are attributed to counterfeited electrical products, adding that products needed to conform to specific standards, such as the threshold of 01-1 Ohms resistance for cables used in electrical distribution systems.

Alhaji Nuhu said the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity could be compromised through the use of inferior products, and advised contractors to maintain the highest standards of quality.

He appealed to consumers to engage the services of accredited professionals towards ensuring standard installations, shun cheap deals, identify and buy authentic materials, and avoid overloading electrical gadgets.

Alhaji Nuhu said research indicated that counterfeit electrical products ranked second after pharmaceuticals, and dealers could evolve into an international crime organization to protect their businesses.

He called for the establishment of product testing facilities for use by the various regulatory bodies in all Regions in the country towards maintaining industry standards, and also recommended the empowerment of standard committees to augment the efforts of regulators.

He further called on the regulatory agencies to intensify the crackdown on illegitimate operatives and asked safety campaigners to cooporate with engineers in that regard.

Mr Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director of the CDA Consult explained that the proliferation of counterfeit electrical products in the country “is on the increase, and as a nation we need concerted efforts to deal with the problem.

“Ghana is gradually becoming fertile market for counterfeit electrical products. We need a national crusade to fight the proliferation of counterfeit electrical products.

“We must all join the holistic crusade to sensitize the public against the usage of counterfeit electrical products”. Mr Ameyibor asserted that the usage of counterfeit electrical products is a major contributor to the rampant fire outbreaks in the country, therefore “the urgent need to support State institutions in public education on the dangers associated with patronage of counterfeit electrical products”.

Mr Ameyibor said the CDA Consult is collaborating with public institutions, including the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Standards Authority, Electrical Contractors, Electrical Manufacturers, Electrical Shop Owners, end users, contractors, security agencies, and the media in the crusade against the proliferation of counterfeit electric products in the country.

The CDA Consult Executive Director said the crusade would also focus on equipping public officials with basic information to recognize electrical counterfeit items at first sight.

It also seeks to ensure that officials take stiffer actions against dealers in counterfeit electrical products; and also equip electricians and retailers to be able to distinguish between fake electrical products from genuine ones.

Mr Ameyibor said: “CDA Consult is creating the platform and build the necessary forces against the proliferation of counterfeit electrical products. We are focusing on raising awareness among the public regarding counterfeiting.

“We are creating a platform to expose the public to the main consequence of using cheap counterfeit electrical products – fire outbreaks and/or corporal harms like electrocution, loss of properties, accidents and death”.

He said the national crusade against the proliferation and use of counterfeit electrical products also aim at discouraging the patronage of counterfeit electrical products and to direct taste towards genuine electrical products.