NAIROBI: The Anti-Counterfeit agency (ACA) has embarked on the best sourced Information Technology (IT) based Solution to detect Counterfeit products entering the Country.
The Anti-Counterfeit Agency Executive Director (ED) Dr John Akoten said the agency will adopt the best IT solution to deal with the Counterfeiters across the Country.
“We want to adopt the best applicable IT based Solution and incorporate it into our operations. We want to achieve our vision of making this Country a free Counterfeit State. I am very optimistic that by offering the best IT Solution to manufacturers and IPR owners will help to check, truck and detect the illegal activities of the Counterfeiters cross the Country,” DrAkoten said.
Dr Akoten said the Technology will protect the genuine Manufacturers, Intellectual Property Right (IPR) owners and the Consumers from being duped by unscrupulous business people in the Country.
The ED said ACA will collaborate with IT solution companies to deter the Counterfeiters from doing illegal business in the Country. He added that counterfeits product have caused the Country to lose billions of money through Tax evasion by the Counterfeiters.
He said the country losses 70 billion annually to counterfeiters who evade taxes.
Dr Akoten was speaking at one day conference at Safari Club Hotel in Nairobi with IT Solution providers and manufacturers to deliberate on the best Technological approach to combat Counterfeits in the Country.
He said, Kenya will lead the war by adopting new technology among the East African States though the neighbors may be slow in technology adoption.
“Although our EAC neighbours have weak structures of laws to deal with Counterfeits, We will harmonize our laws to enhance Inter-State collaborations in dealing with counterfeits products .We will work with EAC bloc to ensure counterfeits products are kicked out of the East African Markets,” Dr Akoten said.
Dr Akoten said the fight against counterfeits is aggravated by innovative technology like the 3D printing technology which can used to counterfeit any product. This has posed great challenge to IPR owners and the consumers to detect genuine products.
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers Executive in charge of counterfeit affairs, Joseph Wariuko observed that most of the systems developed by the IT based solution companies protect the manufacturers and ignore the plight of the consumers.
He challenged the IT experts to develop a price friendly solution that will interact with both the manufacturers and the ignorant Consumers who are both affected by the Counterfeits products.