Beware of fake student mattresses as schools reopen
BY JOHN AMEDEKA
As the Basic Education Certificate Examination result has been released the new academic year is set to begin within a month and, thousands of parents and new students will be heading to the various markets and shops to buy essentials for school. Top on the list is the student mattress.
But this year, parents must shop with extra caution. Across major markets in Accra, Kumasi, Ho, Tamale, Takoradi, Cape Coast and other towns, fake and substandard student mattresses are flooding the shops. They look neat, clean and attractive on the outside almost like the original genuine ones.
However, inside are stuffed with low-grade foam, cotton waste, and even shredded textiles and rubbers. The effects are serious and could be dire. Fake mattresses do not provide proper health support. Students end up with back pains, body aches, and poor sleep.
Some are made with untreated materials that cause skin rashes, allergies and respiratory problems. Worse of all, some contain banned flame retardants and fiberglass.
In the United States for instance, the Consumer Protection Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have established that chemicals found in substandard fake mattresses of which some are in Ghana in recent times “posed an unreasonable risk” that are linked to cancer.
The Ghana Standard Authority has waded into the phenomenon by carrying out unannounced sporadic factory and shop inspections to crack down on the production and distribution of the mattresses. Ironically, there are recalcitrant elements within the governmental and political space who give tacit support to the manufacturers of such low-quality products.
Paradoxically, majority of the culprits are Chinese establishments and, one wonder how they were able to get all the regulatory licenses that allowed them to be in foam production. One is tempted to believe that the gatekeepers Ghana Standard Authority, Environmental Protection Authority and Ministry of Trade and Industries have reneged on their responsibilities to the people of Ghana.
These bodies are obligated to ensure that citizens have access to safe hazard free mattress to sleep on. Somewhat worrying is the spectacle of the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama sleeping or sitting on one of these mattress which was splashed by the company all over the social media as if the Head of State’s present was an endorsement of the activities of companies that have come under GSA’s routine checks.
Waste mattresses/money
These mattresses sag, tear and become lumpy within one term. Parents who buy them ostensibly to “save money” end up spending more to replace them before their wards complete the third year and not forgetting about the medical and social cost to parents. There have been incidences of fire engulfing dormitories across the country of which students become victims.
The fact is that many of the mattresses fail basic fire safety tests. The materials used burn faster and release plums of toxic smoke which give students respiratory challenges.
As parents prepare for the new academic year for admission, they must be cautious and not rush in procuring fake mattress. Ask for the brand, warranty, and buy from reputable shops. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Students spend eight hours a day on the mattress which must be supportive of their health, comfort and academic performance.
Children’s wellbeing must not be sacrifice for cheap substandard mattress for the sake of profiteering interest of buccaneer capitalists. School authorities, market regulators and the Ghana Standards Authority should step up their game regarding markets and factories inspection to flush out fake products before innocent parents begin to buy them. A good night’s sleep is the foundation for good learning. Let’s give our children that.
BY JOHN AMEDEKA
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