Stakeholders in the Volta Region have developed a strategic roadmap to sensitize the public against patronage of counterfeit electrical products in markets across the region.
The stakeholders have 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 exposed to dangers associated with the patronage of counterfeit electrical products, as well as creating a platform for security operatives and others to enforce laws against sale of counterfeit products in the country.
The Anti-counterfeiting educational crusade being undertaken 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 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 was 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.
Story: Atta KWAKU BOADI
Writer’s email: kwaku.boadi@todaygh.com