The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) will intensify its swoops across the country to rid the Ghanaian market of substandard goods of all kinds regardless of where the products are made and who the importers or manufacturers are.
The increase in market surveillance is part of the Authority’s efforts to check the proliferation of fake and substandard products in Ghana and ensure a level playing field for all traders.
Substandard goods cost lives but they are often smuggled, the importers or producers pay no tax and they severely disadvantage legally operating businesses. In effect they cheat the government of badly-needed revenue, harm consumers, destroy businesses and harm government’s job creation efforts.
A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said, the GSA is keen to ensure the protection of consumers who spend their hard-earned money to buy products, which do not meet the minimum standards.
Besides, it would prevent the situation where Ghana would be seen as a dumping ground for unwarranted goods, thereby destroying genuine Ghanaian businesses.
“The GSA’s mandate is to protect consumers whilst facilitating trade and we will ensure Ghana is well-served! Ghana needs to be a destination where countries come to shop knowing that the quality of products purchased in Ghana is world-class. We are hosting the African Continental Free Trade Area and we must show it in the quality of goods both on our markets and those exported.” Prof Alex Dodoo Director-General of the GSA, said.
“You can be assured that the Authority would continue to roll-out measures to clear the system of such fake products to secure the health and lives of Ghanaians and maintain the good name of Ghana,” he said.
The GSA appeals to Ghanaians to cooperate with the organisation to help clean up the country of shoddy products while ensuring that punitive measures such as prosecution and naming and shaming of culprits were adopted to fight the menace.
Source: GNA