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Massive Market Surveillance Exposes Fake Electrical Products

By William Nana Beeko
Headlines Massive Market Surveillance Exposes Fake Electrical Products
DEC 17, 2018 LISTEN

A massive Market Surveillance exercise undertaken by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Agency, (CPA) has exposed importers and dealers of fake electrical cables and products.

This has led to the confiscation of dozens of consignments which were packed ready to infiltrate the markets.

The Market Surveillance, was also meant among other things, to expose some of the non-conformities that are happening in the electricals sector.

The intervention, according to the GSA, has been one of the most successful in the clamp down on fake electricals.

The GSA is mandated for developing, publishing and promoting standards in Ghana.

It does this through standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment activities. Some of these activities are testing, inspection and certification.

These activities ensure that products or goods and services produced in Ghana, whether for local consumption or for export are safe, reliable and are of good quality.

This came to light when the Director-General of the GSA, Professor Alex Dodoo, briefed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, last week on recent events at his sector and also showed them the seized fake cables and electricals.

The committee, was led by the Chairman, Hon. Marfo Nana Amaniampong, Hon. Ato Panford Deputy Chairman, Ranking Member, Hon. Fiifi Kwetey among other members.

Prof. Dodoo in an in-depth presentation on recent happenings revealed that through the activities of the GSA at the ports, they have seized more substandard electrical cables.

“The GSA asked the committee for this meeting because we are indeed worried over the state of our market and we are counting largely on the parliamentary committee to be able to crack the whip.”

He appealed to the committee to empower the GSA to be able to burn those impounded goods since there are no spaces to store them.

“The GSA would ensure that whatever Ghanaians buy on the market meets the expected standards,” he reaffirmed his outfit’s commitment.

Prof. Dodoo lamented over the current situation where 60% of electrical products have failed to meet the required standards.

“The Standards Act of 1973 says that the Authority should prohibit the sale or manufacture of goods in the national interest,” he emphasized.

He attributed the rampant fire incidents in Ghana to faulty wiring and misuse of electrical gadgets.

On his part, the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee On Trade, Industry and Tourism, Hon. Ato Panford, said Ghanaians will be safer based on ensuring standards.

He explained that the work of the committee is apolitical in the best interest of Ghana and urged Ghanaians to desist from politicising the work of the committee.

He assured the GSA of parliament’s continuous support in cracking down those who infiltrate the electrical market with fake products.

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William Nana Beeko
William Nana Beeko

Editor

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