Police lobby public support to clamp down counterfeit products

Police lobby public support to clamp down counterfeit products The Ghana Police Service on Friday stressed its determination to clamp down on dealers in counterfeit electrical products in the country.

But, according to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Emmanuel A. Bossoh, the Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Commander, as a law enforcement agency, the police relied mostly on information from the general public to effect arrest and prosecute offenders.

He said the influx of counterfeit electrical products was alarming and advised the general public to assist the police to identify and arrest manufacturers, retailers and sellers of such products for prosecution.

Speaking at a national anti counterfeit electrical products exposure workshop at Abesim, near Sunyani DCOP said it was necessary to intensify monitoring and trace the entry routes and origin of these fake electrical products.

The three-day workshop, being organised by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA) in collaboration with the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) is on the theme: "Avoid Patronage of Counterfeit Products".

Participants include electrical products manufacturers, retailers, dealers, buyers as well as representatives from the Ghana Police Service, National Fire Service, Immigration Service and National Commission for Civic Education.

To facilitate prosecution of offenders, DCOP Bossoh said the police required specific and relevant laws on electrical counterfeits and called for effectively collaboration between the police and regulating agencies such as the GSA and Energy Commission to ensure that.

Mr Francis Mensah Akpaloo, a Scientific Officer and Technical Supervisor at the GSA observed that beside tax evasion, it was also dangerous to use counterfeit and sub-standard products.

He expressed the discomfort with unnecessary political interference which was impeding efforts to fight counterfeit electrical products.

Mr Akpaloo appealed to politicians to distance themselves and allow the GSA to work, promote standards and rid the market of fake products and advised importers to seek advice from the GSA before importing products into the country.

Mr Francis Ameyibor, the Executive Director of CDA consult, assured that similar workshops would be held at the district levels to intensify the campaign in the supreme interest of the nation.