By Rockson Adofo

On 25 August 2016, I read an article to be published on Modernghana.com titled, “Captain Smart of Adom FM and the Magical Mosquitoes - Exterminating Electrical Bulbs”.

In the said publication, I promised to report back to the public after I have conducted a search into the existence of any such bulbs in India, their efficacy and whether or not they are in mass use in the country since the citizens of India suffer from mosquito bites and malaria fever same as Ghanaians in Ghana do.

From questioning my Indian work colleagues as promised, it has been established that there are no electric bulbs in mass use in India to combat mosquitoes. As it is in any other country and market, there are a few blue-coloured led bulbs that attract flying insects with mosquitoes inclusive, onto sticky mounted surfaces to kill them.

Some of these light bulbs work efficiently when they come in their complete electrical fitting with inbuilt zapping (an electric shock or something similar) effect. The bulb is only there to attract the insects and the fitting which has that shocking effect kills them. Such electrical fittings are mounted on the walls in warehouses, corridors and lounges of hotels but they cannot attract to kill the entire flying insects in the area.

For the mosquito-killing bulbs to be used in rooms (domestically) to attain any degree of success, they must have sticky encapsulation so that the insects attracted to the bulb will get stuck and then get killed. However, the woman-monopolist that Captain Smart supports and is ready to advertise her product on his radio programme free of charge, alleges that the bulbs do ward off the mosquitoes.

These bulbs are not in mass use anywhere in the world as the woman and Captain Smart seem to impress upon Ghanaians or convince us to believe.

Let me point out to readers and the general public that such bulbs and electrical fittings DO ATTRACT the insects to them but NOT REPEL them as the woman alleged on live radio interview.

If there were such 100%-proven mosquito-repellent or exterminating bulbs, why are the markets of the tropical countries in the world not flooded with them and their citizens encouraged to use them in their efforts to rid their countries of the deadly malaria disease caused by mosquito bites?

The woman claimed once you start using the bulb, you can leave your windows wide open and no mosquito can ever enter your room. This is complete nonsense and tactical misselling.

What is misselling, one may want to know? “Misselling is the deliberate, reckless, or negligent sale of products or services in circumstances where the contract is either misrepresented, or the product or service is unsuitable for the customer's needs”.

If that Indian company producing the alleged magical mosquito repellent bulbs is serious and desires to make profit and name out of its product, why will it grant monopoly for the distribution of the product throughout the whole of the West African sub-region to this one Ghanaian woman? I doubt if the company is actually into profit making business by the look of the contract it has committed itself to if the claim by the woman is anything to go by.

Has the woman been able to get agents in all the West African countries? How has she gone about advertising them in those countries? Has she been able to get the Food and Drugs (Standard) Boards in those countries to certify the product for sale?

I shall advise Ghanaians to continue to use their mosquito net which is currently the best option for fighting against, and preventing yourself from, mosquito bites and malaria fever.

There is one sure product that I shall recommend for anyone willing to ward off mosquitoes from their rooms. Many people including me have used it and found it tremendously efficient in repelling mosquitos. It is called, “PLUG-IN INDOOR MOSQUITO KILLER” or Boots Pharmaceuticals Repel 3 Pin Plug-In Mosquito Killer. (Read more at http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Pharmaceuticals-Repel-3-Pin-Plug-In-Mosquito-Killer_1793365/#M8oPM3zc5qXQx8Xu.99)

It may be a bit expensive for an ordinary person living in Ghana but that is your sure bet against mosquito bites. It can be purchased from certain big supermarkets and pharmacies in Europe and Americas etc. It is better than the light bulbs being suggested by that HAJIA woman of which she is the sole distributor in West Africa and ready to be advertised by Captain Smart.

Do not allow anyone seeking to make quick buck deceive you into buying products that are not up to the task they say they do.

Finally, be aware that with the catastrophically ongoing “dumsor” (power outages and load shedding) in Ghana, no mosquito killer bulbs or plug-in liquid mosquito killer devices will be 100% efficient. They will not work when you need them to because there will be no electricity all the time to power them because of the currently business-collapsing dumsor in operation in Ghana.

All those who hurriedly approved of the sale of the woman’s product as being 100% mosquito repellent are not only dodgy but also, markedly incompetent.

Reference

http://www.modernghana.com/news/714747/captain-smart-of-adom-fm-and-the-magical-mosquitoes-exterm.html

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Captain-Smart-and-the-magical-electrical-bulbs-467104