The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to publish the names of companies importing substandard goods into the country or face a court action.
The ultimatum follows the Authority’s disclosure last week that it had identified some sub-standard goods on the Ghanaian market.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of the CPA, Kofi Kapito said: “If that report or the names of the companies are not published, CPA will go to court to seek the guidance of the court to force professor Alexander Nii Oto Doodo to release the names.
“The time has come to do name and shame.”
He added: “This thing has become a practice in the country. A year ago, almost exactly we had this Atomic junction gas explosion. A committee was set up. A report has been given [and] up till now nobody knows the outcome. All we have been told by the NPA boss is some recommendations have been made.
“Why do these regulators, government agencies feel the reports are their own to keep or even government for a matter of fact?”
Sharing a personal experience, Mr. Kapito disclosed that as the CEO of the CPA, he was part of the eight-member committee that investigated the circumstances leading to the sale of the over five million litres of contaminated fuel by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST).
According to the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), the transaction which was between BOST and Movenpiina and Zup, who were said to be operating illegally in the country, caused the state to lose a whopping GH¢14.25million.
“I was part of the committee, we have done the report and as to if the report should be in the public nobody knows. Why do we spend the money of the taxpayer, waste the taxpayer’s money?
“As a member of the committee I know how much budget we spent in investigating the contaminated fuel thing. The Ghanaian needs to be told,” Mr. Kapito said.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
