Ashanti Business Owners Reject Claims of Selling Fake Insecticides  

The Ashanti Business Owners Association has refuted claims by the police that some of its members are involved in the distribution of counterfeit insecticide products.  

On Friday, the Ashanti Regional Police Command arrested three shop owners and distributors in Kumasi, suspected of retailing fake insecticides. The arrests followed a complaint by Evergreen Chemist Limited, the sole importer of the UK-manufactured Kill It insecticide in Ghana.  

The police operation, led by the Regional Command, led to the seizure of the suspected counterfeit products from shops located in Adum and Tech. According to the police, the items were believed to have been smuggled into Ghana from Nigeria.  

Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Emmanuel Teye Cudjoe, said the suspects could face charges relating to the “packaging, labelling, advertising and sale of drugs, herbal products, medicines or cosmetic products in a manner that is false, misleading, and deceiving to the public and consumers.”  

In response, the Ashanti Business Owners Association has denied any wrongdoing. Speaking at a press briefing, Mr. Charles Appiah Kubi, Executive Secretary of the Association, said the arrested members had legally sourced their products from Nigeria, following standard importation procedures.  

“We only supply what the market demands, and our members acted accordingly. The so-called fake product has a manufacturing date, expiry date, and batch number — features that the product distributed by the Ghana agent lacks,” he asserted.  
“We leave it to the public to judge.”  

Mr. Appiah Kubi expressed disappointment at what he described as the police’s hasty actions, cautioning against damaging the reputations of businesses without due process.  

“It’s difficult to build a business; even more difficult to build a reputation. What we expect is for the police to collaborate with the Ghana Standards Authority to verify the authenticity of the products before passing judgment,” he appealed.  

He also affirmed the Association’s readiness to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to protect legitimate businesses while ensuring compliance with trade and consumer safety regulations.  

Source: GNA