GSA burnt seized second-hand mattresses in Sekondi Metropolis

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) on Thursday burnt more than 500 seized second-hand mattresses at the Sofokrom engineered landfill site in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

The exercise is aimed at enforcing the Legislative Instrument (LI 1586) that banned the importation of used mattresses, panties, underwear, handkerchiefs, brassier and air-conditioners.

Mr. Charles Amoako, Chief Standards Officer in charge of the Inspectorate Division of the GSA who supervised the exercise, told journalists that the used-mattresses contained bacteria and other infectious diseases that could easily be transmitted to others.

He said the GSA in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade is preparing draft legislation and when passed into law, importers who bring in banned materials would be fined.

The GSA Officer in charge of Takoradi Port, Mr. Edward Ofosuhene, explaining the modus operandi of how the mattresses were brought into the country indicated that, importers deliberately used them to protect the windscreens of their imported vehicles but later end up on the market for sale.

He said the Inspectorate Division of the GSA is high alert on highly-risk materials that are imported into the country and would therefore seize and destroy them to serve as deterrent to others.

According to him, banned electronic appliances would be crushed at the Tema Steel Works so that other vital parts could be re-cycled for other purposes.

The Officer in charge of the Takoradi State Warehouse of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Asante Agyei Boakye, pledged to ensure that no banned materials are smuggled into the country.

He debunked perception that some Custom officials condone and connive with importers to smuggle banned used materials into the country adding that, the service would always protect the integrity and safety of Ghanaians.**