The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) in collaboration with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service on Friday closed down a gas cylinder manufacturing plant in Oyarifa for operating illegally.

George Anti, the Business Development Manager of the Authority in an interview said the Authority had a tip-off of a company named Quest Systems that manufacture gas cylinders for sale without a license.

“Upon the Authority’s investigations, we found out that the company was operating the facility without permit and certification from the GSA, which the Authority cannot ascertain the quality of the gas cylinders that are sold onto the market”, he added.

Mr Anti said the gas cylinders were not tested to any standards and cannot guarantee its safety for public use and decided to close the facility to prevent the company from selling the products onto the market because it posed a serious threat to consumer safety.

He said the Authority’s action was in line with the Standards Act NRCD 173, which gives them the mandate to prohibit the sale of anything goods that would not be in the best interest of the nation.

He said the Act enjoins the Authority to promote trade and protecting consumers from any harmful products in the country.

Mr Anti said the Authority’s intervention was critical because the country had recorded a huge number of domestic fires, which had claimed lives and property, adding that, it was imperative for all and sundry to condemn these negative acts.

He stated that the country was open for legitimate and legal business and that any organisations that flout the laws of the country would face the full rigours of the law.

Mr Anti said GSA had certified only two local manufacturers-the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company and Sigma Cylinders, and that any other companies in the market are illegal.