Officials of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) say they will soon rid the market of illegal products.

This comes after the authority embarked on a public sensitization at Kumasi Central Business district and realized some sub-standard products had infiltrated the market.

Director of the Ghana Standards Authority-Middle Belt, Samuel Kofi Frimpong said persons found culpable will either be fined or imprisoned.

The workers at the regional branch of Ghana Standards Authority hit the principal streets of the Kumasi Central Business District to educate traders about its mandate.

The Authority visited shops including dealers in textiles and consumables at the Kejetia market and other trading centres within the business enclave.

They sensitized vendors and buyers to always ensure items they purchase bear a certification mark from the Authority.

The officials of GSA indicated that quite a number of fake goods have entered the market, thus posing danger to the safety of the citizenry.

Mr. Samuel Kofi Frimpong said, “due to the challenge posed by Ghana’s illiteracy rate, the Authority embarks on sensitization programmes to create more awareness”.

Mr. Frimpong was worried over persons at Ghana’s ports of entry who allow yet-to-be certified products to infiltrate the market.

“We have people at the port of entry to check products that enter the country. But there is some porosity at these places. By law we are mandated to protect the consumer. We are to make sure goods and services meet the standards of the Authority. But when we recently did a market surveillance, we realized a lot of products didn’t bear our mark of conformity,” he said.

Mr. Frimpong said the Authority will swoop on such products on the market, especially at the Kejetia market.

He said persons found culpable will be made to face the full rigours of the law.

“L.I. 662 amended by 664 makes it clear that if you’re producing in Ghana through industrial process then you have to go through product certification scheme. So if you should defy the law, we are allowed by the law to arraign you before court where you will be fined or imprisoned or both,” he said.