Fire crackers are still on sale at various markets in Accra in direct contravention of an Executive Instrument (E.I) 21 of 1999, which prohibits the manufacture, possession or carriage of any explosives.
A Ghana News Agency monitoring team spotted some of the explosives at Makola Market, Tudu Market, Tema Station Market, and at the central business district of the capital on Monday.
Some of the explosives on display for sale included fire crackers otherwise known as knockouts in different forms and shades.
[contextly_sidebar id=”uzvFbmxGsiriUXBoGWPIb8jKl0TJFiAj”]At the Makola Market, traders were reluctant to grant an interview to the GNA on the basis that they were the retailers and not the importers, so to them they were not at fault.
They questioned why the authorities did not ban the importation and purchase of the fire crackers.
A trader who wanted to remain anonymous said she was only doing her business to make ends meet and has not heard of such a ban. She said if the product has been banned, it would not have found it way in the market in the first place, expressing worry about the huge losses she will incur if the ban is enforced.
Some consumers said the purchase of fire crackers was a waste of money considering that they pollute the air, produce a lot of garbage and noise and are a huge disturbance for everybody.
To ensure strict compliance with this provision, the police said personnel deployed for special operations during the festive seasons would be tasked to arrest any person or group of persons who acted contrary to the instrument, for prosecution.
In a release issued in Accra recently and signed by the out-going Director-General of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr David Ampah Bennin, the service said while it is entreating prospective importers and dealers in such explosives to refrain from importing and selling them, it was also calling on the general public to desist from purchasing, possessing or using them.
“Members of the public who are already in possession of these prohibited explosives are therefore advised to deposit them with the police officer in charge of the nearest police station,” the statement said.
It entreated the general public to co-operate with the police for incident-free Christmas festivities.
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Source: GNA