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Counterfeiting and piracy gravely
effecting economy- Baah-Wiredu
Accra, Jan. 26, GNA- Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of
Finance and Economic Planning, on Friday condemned the
practice of counterfeiting and piracy, saying its effects
were grave on the national economy and the lifestyle of the
citizenry at large.
He said not only did the perpetrators of the heinous crime
committed massive fraud on legitimate traders, but also such
activities amounted to serious public deceit, undermining of
the economy and posing a great danger to the people.
Mr Baah-Wiredu was speaking at the launch of an anti-piracy
and counterfeiting campaign on Friday in Accra, to mark the
International Customs Day, which is observed on January 26,
every year.
He said "It is only a criminal, malicious and an inhuman
mind that will fake items or manufacture fictitious items
for human consumption. Their activities on daily basis
violate the universal moral code and good conscience."
Mr Baah-Wiredu noted that the dangers posed by the steady
increase in counterfeiting and piracy required that
stakeholders intensified their efforts to combat the
practices.
He said the practice imposed a lot of responsibility on the
Customs, Excise and preventive Service (CEPS).
Mr Baah-Wiredu, therefore, urged CEPS to implement
efficient, intelligence and investigative measures that
would enable the service decisively deal with breaches of
existing legislation on piracy and counterfeiting.
He said such measures, must aim at protecting 'rights
holders' and industry as a whole and recommended that CEPS
should institute a unit to expeditiously handle issues
regarding piracy and counterfeiting.
Mr Baah-Wiredu said such initiative should form a critical
aspect of a medium to long-term programme for building the
professional competence and the needed capacity to battle
the menace.
He said the fight against counterfeiting and piracy should
be through the adoption of coherent and coordinated
strategies within a collaborative framework of identified
security agencies with CEPS at the helm of affairs.
Mr Baah-Wiredu asked CEPS to consider the enforcement of the
laws on counterfeiting, and piracy that was part of their
mandate as an important component of their community
protection responsibility.
He urged all stakeholders to intensify efforts to ensure
that regulations regarding proper labeling of imported goods
were adhered to.
GNA
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