Accra, April 28. GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, Chief Executive Officer of Food and Drugs Board (FDB) on Monday cautioned consumers to be acquainted with the key characteristics of their popular products and medicines.

This is to enable them to take active measures to report to the police or the FDB when they suspect that a product was fake.

He noted that due to sophistication in technology, counterfeiters of today were able to illegally copy and package products which could even look more attractive than the original product and yet it could have harmful effects after consumption.

Mr Agyarko said this at a press conference organized by the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade in Accra to commemorate this year's World Intellectual Property Day (WIPO), on "Celebrating innovation and promoting respect for Intellectual Property" The day, which fell on April 26 was chosen for the celebration because the convention establishing the WIPO entered into force in 1970 and it is used to create awareness on the role of intellectual property (IP) in the world.

He explained that the value of counterfeited product as compared to the original was not of good quality because the sole aim of every counterfeiter was to make excessive profit at the expense of both the innovator and the consumer.

"The real quality of every product which emanates from the mischievous brains of counterfeit is nothing to write home about, and could be bring harm to you and your family" he said.

Many people, he said had died of fake drug because of someone's greed and called for stringent measures to help curb the situation adding that that unfortunately the law on counterfeiting was a pat on the back and not even a slap.

Counterfeiting is a threat to job security in Ghana as well as the growth of local industries and the destruction of ingenuity. He said "though the situation was not a big problem in Ghana we cannot sit unconcerned".

The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, the FDB, the Police, Ghana Standard Board, the Office of the Copyright Administrator, MUSIGA and the WIPO and other stakeholder organizations have and would continue to fight the menace of piracy and counterfeiting with laws and every other available tool Mr. Agyarko said.

He asked the media to educate the public on the implications of engaging in the criminal trade and its consequences.

"The nation as whole would therefore like to take this opportunity to salute innovators and inventors whose creative ideas continue to inspire the world. As we celebrate WIPO day", he said.

Mr. Kofi Essuman, Quality Manager for UNILEVER Ghana said it was necessary for consumers and producers to be aware of counterfeited products on the market and it was for that purpose that the coalition was set up to raise awareness on the issue to protect both consumers and producers of their rights such as copyrights, trademarks and patent, among others.

He said it was also important for importers to carefully check the source of the products they imported into the country to avoid the destruction of the goods when they arrived in the country.