Over one thousand used mattresses destroyed at Kpone Landfill site 

Over one thousand used mattresses seized in the Tema port have been destroyed by the Tema Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority at the Kpone Landfill site. 

The import of used mattresses into the country flouts the 1994 Legislative Instrument LI 1580, which forbids the import and sale of certain second hand mattresses into the country. 

Briefing the media after the destruction of the mattresses, the Chief Revenue Officer in-charge of State Warehouse by the Tema Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Lawrence Annan said LI 1580, banned the importation and sale of some secondhand goods notably handkerchiefs, men, women and children underpants, popularly  known as obroni wawu in the local parlance.  

Trading in these illegal goods continues to gain patronage in some parts of the country, particularly in Tema and Accra, even though the sale of these commodities constitute a criminal offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment. 

Importers and stakeholders, who violate the law and make sales illegally from the second hand goods, intensified the sale of the banned goods and spread the trade into other parts of the country. 

The Chief Revenue Officer in-charge of State Warehouse, Lawrence Annan said the spate for which importers import used items are alarming adding that importers sometimes cover the goods with polythenes under the guise that they are new mattresses. 

He however, explained that thorough examination often revealed the secret of their master plan thereby committing an offence. 

According to Mr. Annan about one hundred and 45 mattresses have been destroyed but intend to destroy about thousand within the week.

Mr. Annan noted that the idea of destroying the used mattresses, was to send a strong signal that, the mattresses are not good and poses health complications, adding that the destruction, is an indication to make importers and exporters know that, the custom division is serious and will not hesitate to seize them when they are brought into the country.

GBC's Sheriff Iddrisu was at the destruction site and has filed this report.

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