A director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Amansie Central District of Ashanti has been arrested for allegedly producing and selling fake hand sanitisers.
Joyce Frimpong was arrested on Friday, April 3, at her Jacobu residence, by a joint police and national security operatives upon intelligence reports received.
A search by the police led to the retrieval of containers filled with hand sanitisers and quantity of empty ones labelled ‘Adom Hand Sanitiser.’
It is believed a large quantity of the product has hit the market, putting the lives of the Jacobu community at risk.
A police source told the Ghanaian Times that, some policemen bought some of the products from the suspect at GH₵2.00, GH₵5.00 and GH₵10.00 per container depending on the size.
The suspect has since been granted a police enquiry bail pending further investigations.
It was gathered that samples of the product would be sent to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for further investigations.
Efforts to get Joyce Frimpong and the Ashanti Regional NCCE director for comments, proved futile.
Following the outbreak of the coronavirus, the demand for hand sanitisers has shot up throughout the country because, experts have urged the general public to commit to regular hand washing with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers.
This has shot up the demand for hand sanitisers with some private persons taking advantage to produce some locally for sale.
It is recalled that on March 25, 2020, a man and his wife were arrested in Techiman in Bono East Region for committing a similar offence.
Daniel Opoku Ababio and Dorothy Opoku would be facing the Techiman Circuit Court while investigations continue.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI