*DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRADE INSPECTS SHOPS FOR EXPIRED AND SUBSTANDARD GOODS.*

To safeguard consumers' best interests, Deputy Minister of Trade Fatmata Kargbo, along with officials from the National Consumer Protection Commission and Standards Bureaus, has initiated spot checks of shops and supermarkets in the Western Area to inspect expired products and substandard goods. This initiative highlights the unwavering commitment of President Dr. Julius Maada Bio's government to protect citizens from consuming expired or substandard products. In 2020, President Bio established the National Consumer Protection Commission to achieve this goal. Today, Deputy Minister Fatmata Kargbo and her team visited Kroo Town Road to undertake this venture. In one particular shop, several expired products were discovered, and officials from the NCPC confiscated the goods for further actions, including destruction. The shop was immediately closed, pending action based on the Consumer Protection Act of 2020. "I am saddened that people can behave this way. How could someone sell expired goods to citizens, en dangering the lives of millions, including children? This is unacceptable, and the Ministry of Trade, along with its agencies, will ensure the culprits face the full extent of the law. I urge all citizens to be vigilant when purchasing goods, to check for expiration dates, and to report to the NCPC for action," Deputy Minister Fatmata Kargbo stated. The Deputy Minister added that this move is not a one-off event but a continuous process to catch unscrupulous business people who engage in selling expired goods. Source: Sierra Leone News Agency