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Watch your mattresses!…they can cause chronic back pain, other health disorders
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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THE Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP), Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called on traditional authorities, religious leaders and community influencers to stop shielding perpetrators of gender-based violence and allow the law to work.
She said too many cases were being buried at the community level, with abusers protected while victims were pressured into silence. This, she stressed, must end.
Dr Lartey made the call on Tuesday at the national launch of the 2025, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, held at the Kaneshie Main Station in Accra.
This year’s campaign, observed globally from November 25 to December 10, is on the theme: ‘Unite! End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.’
It highlights rising incidents of cyberbullying, online stalking, image-based exploitation and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse that disproportionately affect women and girls.
The minister urged the media to use their platforms to condemn abuse and intensify education, noting that no person should “die in silence’’ in a society that values dignity, equality and the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 5.
She also encouraged women, girls, men and boys to report any form of abuse, assuring the public that support services were available to all, regardless of age or social status.
Dr Lartey described gender-based violence as one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Ghana. She referenced a 2016 Domestic Violence Survey showing that 27.7 per cent of Ghanaian women have experienced domestic violence, as well as a 2014 Demographic and Health Survey which revealed that 32 per cent of girls aged 15–24 believe wife beating was justified—an indication of harmful societal norms.
Calling the situation “unfortunate and sad,” she stressed that the nation must dismantle cultural beliefs that excuse or normalise violence.
Outlining government actions, Dr Lartey announced that Cabinet has approved the revised National Domestic Violence Policy, while the updated Domestic Abuse Bill and its Legislative Instrument were being finalised by the Attorney-General’s Department.
She also disclosed plans to operationalise a national shelter in Accra and begin constructing the 16 regional shelters promised to strengthen protection systems for survivors.
Additionally, the ministry has trained 200 market leaders as paralegals and 100 professionals, including psychologists, medical workers and legal experts, to support victims with referrals and counselling.
UNFPA Country Representative, Dr David Wilfred Ochan, reaffirmed the agency’s support for Ghana’s efforts. He unveiled a nationwide initiative titled “16 Stations, 16 Routes, 16 Destinations,” which will use the country’s public transport system to raise awareness on gender-based violence.
In partnership with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the initiative will promote stickers, public announcements, training and codes of conduct to ensure that transport stations become safe spaces where commuters, traders, porters and young people can access information and hotline services to report or prevent abuse.
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CHILD Rights International (CRI) is urging the government to adopt a firm and comprehensive national policy to safeguard the religious rights of students in secondary schools, insisting that no child should be denied education or the freedom to express their faith.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Accra, the organisation said the recent controversy involving Wesley Girls’ Senior High School highlights deep-seated gaps in how children’s rights were upheld within the country’s long-standing educational structures.
According to CRI, the incident underscores the need for Ghana to reassess the relationship between school traditions and the constitutional rights of students.
The group emphasised that the right to education and the right to religious expression were fundamental, and must be reflected consistently in rules and practices across all schools.
Additionally, CRI noted that many well-known mission institutions such as Holy Child School and St. Louis Senior High School operate on religious foundations that have shaped their administrative cultures for decades.
These differ significantly from state-established schools like Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua, Tamale Senior High School and Achimota Senior High School.
This contrast, CRI argued, raises an important national question and what policy framework has guided these mission schools since their incorporation into the public system?
Although the government has declared all such schools secular, they continue to function as government-assisted institutions, maintaining a hybrid structure that leaves them neither fully autonomous nor entirely under the Ghana Education Service (GES).
This unclear arrangement has led to inconsistent rules on discipline, conduct and religious expression from one school to another.
CRI warned that the absence of a unified and enforceable national policy leaves significant gaps in the protection of children’s rights.
While rights may be universal, the group emphasised that their protection depends on strong and clearly defined state regulations.
The organisation further stated that the State has yet to assume full regulatory authority over the schools it supports financially. As a result, key administrative and disciplinary decisions often remain at the discretion of individual school authorities, creating uneven standards nationwide.
For the rights of children, particularly their right to practise their religion to be fully realised, CRI believes the government must move toward full regulatory ownership of all schools it funds or classifies as public.
Without this, tensions between deeply rooted school traditions and constitutional freedoms are likely to persist.
The statement stressed that once a school admits a student, it takes responsibility not only for their academic development but also for respecting their identity, including their religious background. Therefore, no child, CRI insists, should be prevented from practicing their faith within the school environment.
Moreover, the organisation called for the establishment of clear national standards that guide schools on accommodating religious expression without compromising discipline or institutional order.
It also urged the government to strengthen safeguarding systems with firm oversight and routine monitoring to ensure that children’s rights are protected based on national law, not historical customs or administrative discretion.
CRI admonished the government to clarify the official status of government-assisted mission schools to ensure that the rights of all students are upheld consistently across the country.
By Spectator Reporter
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