Counterfeit
goods stifling industries in Ghana
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, July 3, Ghanadot - The
proliferation of illicit and counterfeit goods on the
Ghanaian market has once again come up for discussion as a
major obstacle to trade development in the country and the
major cause of the collapse of many industries in the
country.
To this effect the Ghana Employers Association (GEA ) as
part of its 50th anniversary celebrations has engaged
stakeholders in a dialogue on the topic “consumer protection
against illicit Trade & counterfeit goods” to re-echo some
views that Ghanaian industrialists and enterprises have had
cause to espouse previously.
The president of the GEA Nana Fredua Agyeman Opambuo 1 noted
that the choice for the theme was informed by the ever
growing negative and devastating impact of the phenomenon on
businesses and industry, the economy as well as the image
and reputation of the country.
"Alas Intellectual protection in
Ghana" and many other African
countries are weak and constitute
a major deterrent to foreign and domestic investment-two factors indispensable to sustainable economic
growth and development, Nana
Fredua Agyeman noted.
He recounted the dynamic and growing industry in Nigeria
that is incessantly constrained by rampant piracy.
Counterfeit operators have created a global industry that
now rivals the multinational corporation in speed, reach and
sophistication.
“The combination of seed capital to finance their
operations, expertise in re-engineering and ability to
penetrate legitimate distribution channels has created a
global crisis, Anything that is manufactured can be faked --
from consumer electronics through cigarettes and auto parts
to shoes, bouillon cubes, antibiotics without active
ingredients to $100 bills. Counterfeiting has become as
profitable as trading drugs and illegal narcotics, and is a
lot less risky” he said
He added that in some parts of the world organised crime is
said to have shifted from smuggling of narcotics and weapons
to counterfeiting of medicines as a lucrative enterprise. As
counterfeiters do not have to cover research and
development, marketing and advertising costs, most of their
expense goes into making products look convincing not into
making them perform well
He made reference to a report from the International Policy
Network (IPN) which states that 700,000 people die annually
from consuming fake drugs, most of which originate from
China and India.
IPN, in that report estimated that almost one per cent of
drugs sold in Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Burundi and the Congo
are fake and sub-standard leaving people unknowingly consume
paint saw dust, cement, talcum powder and other toxic
substances.
IPN also estimates that only one per cent of counterfeit
drugs are found in the developed countries where there is
high literacy rate and resolve by government to protect
trademarks and intellectual property.
Mrs. Betty Mould Idrissu, Attorney General and Minister for
Justice in her address pledged government’s commitment at
strengthening institutions to fight the menace of trade in
illicit and counterfeit goods in the country.
She thus enjoined industries to collaborate with other
stakeholders to form a more formidable force in the fight
against counterfeiting in the country.
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Accra, July 3, Ghanadot - IPN, in that
report estimated that almost one per cent of drugs sold in
Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Burundi and the Congo are fake and
sub-standard leaving people unknowingly consume paint saw
dust, cement, talcum powder and other toxic substances ....More
