Banning importation of used home appliances will affect jobs - Group to government

Concerned Second Hand Dealers Association of Ghana (CSHDAG) has appealed to the Christian Council, National Chief Imam, and other civil society groups to prevent the Energy Commission from going ahead with its decision to ban the importation of used household electrical appliances.

According to the group, they play significant roles in the growth of the economy, hence, such a move will not only be injurious to their wellbeing but the country as a whole.

Addressing the press in Accra on Wednesday, the National President of CSHDAG, Daniel Asare, said their contribution to the economy was felt in areas including job creation, and domestic usage of used appliances among other economic benefits.

Elaborating further, he said the sale of used domestic products has provided many Ghanaians jobs which have contributed to reducing unemployment in the country.

He said this has eased the job creation burden on the government, adding that these dealers through this business can fend for their families.

“Home used products contribute a lot to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), such that when such goods and imported into the country, importers pay huge sums of duties to the government,” he added.

Furthermore, Mr. Asare contended that over 90% of Ghanaians use used products including televisions, microwaves, irons, blenders, and washing machines among other gadgets.

“…and these used products are of high quality and the prices are far cheaper and affordable to loads of Ghanaians,” he noted.

According to him, their press conference was in reaction to moves by the Energy Commission to ban the importation of domestic used goods.

He recounted that on October 6, 2021, the Energy Commission held a meeting with the Ghana Union and Traders’ Association (GUTA) which centered on used home appliances.

At the said meeting, he said, the Commission advanced that used electronic appliances consume a lot of energy, a reason, therefore, for the ban of their importation.

That meeting, Mr. Asare indicated, was inconclusive, adding that the Energy Commission informed them that they will get back to them.

“We did not hear from them again until September 1, 2022, when we read from some newspapers and saw on UTV a news item to the effect that the Energy Commission intends to ban used home products into the country,” he said.

The President of CSHDAG said the Energy Commission also argued out that Ghana has become a dumping site for used products.

“We can say on authority that there is no place in this country where used domestic electrical products cause environmental hazards,” he stated.

“Even our waste products are being collected by scrap dealers which are sold to recycling companies in the country, thus creating jobs for scrap dealers,” he said.

Mr. Asare also debunked the assertion that used domestic electrical appliances have in them some chemical substances harmful to human beings.

This assertion, he said, was false and baseless, adding that there was no scientific proof to this.

“…so where are the Energy Commission gathering this misleading information from? It is an open secret that some brand new dealers were behind this scheme,” he said.