The Management of Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) on Thursday closed down two Chinese poly-bag manufacturing companies at Sakaman near Dansoman for operating illegally.

The exercise, done in collaboration with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service, is to ensure that Companies comply with the law by being certified to operate.

The Companies are Zheng Hua Feng Limited and L.W.W Waste Plastics Recycling Company Limited.

Mr George Anti, the Business Development Manager, GSA in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the Authority had initiated measures to ensure that they were visible countrywide to check some of these irregularities.

He said sometimes GSA staffs undertook mystery shopping in companies they suspected were not going by the law.

These items were later tested in their laboratory to know whether they were operating in hygienic conditions and if not, they move to close up the place.

“This is one of such measures that led us to these two companies today,” he added.

He said when they visited the companies, they got to know that they were operating the facility without permit and certification from the GSA and the Authority could not ascertain the quality of the poly-bags produced and sold on the market.

Mr Anti said where these Companies were producing the items was in a residential area, which was not meant originally to be for a factory.

The Business Development Manager said there were no safety measures and workers at the factory did not have safety wears coupled with poor ventilation.

He said the Authority’s action was in line with the Standards Act NRCD 173, which mandates the GSA to prohibit the sale of any goods that would not be in the best interest of the nation.

He said the Act enjoins the Authority to promote trade but also protect consumers from any harmful products in the country.

He said the country was open for legitimate and legal business and that any organizations that flouted the laws of the country would face the full rigors of the law.