Parliament urged to back GSA to improve standards compliance

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has appealed to Parliament to provide the resources needed to strengthen standards enforcement and improve product testing across the country.

The Authority said inadequate laboratory capacity, staffing constraints, delays in commitment authorisation and restrictions on the use of internally generated funds were limiting its ability to effectively test products, undertake market surveillance and support industries to meet international standards.

The Director-General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, made the appeal yesterday when members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism visited the Authority in Accra to familiarise themselves with its operations, achievements and challenges.

He said standards would be critical to the success of the government’s 24-hour economy agenda, stressing that increased production without compliance could create liabilities for industry and consumers.

He noted that the Authority required investment in laboratories, equipment and personnel to effectively discharge its mandate in standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment.

Prof. Agyei added that many Ghanaian products were unable to access international markets because they failed to meet standards and conformity requirements in destination countries.

He further explained that although the Authority was aware of the materials being used in road and construction projects across the country, it lacked the capacity to test all of them to ensure compliance with established standards.

The Director-General also cautioned against general         ising concerns about substandard products to all foreign companies, particularly Chinese firms operating in the country.

While acknowledging that some companies had been cited for non-compliance, he said several Chinese-owned firms were operating responsibly and contributing significantly to Ghana’s industrial development.

He cited the example of Chinese companies producing ceramic tiles and other products in Ghana for export to Europe and the United States, noting that their success demonstrated compliance with both local and international standards.

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the GSA, Alhaji Hudu Mogtari, said strengthening the Authority was essential if Ghana was to take advantage of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and expand exports to international markets.

According to him, products manufactured in Ghana must meet internationally accepted standards to compete successfully in regional and global markets.

“We are looking at an economy that seeks to grow and deepen participation under the African Continental Free Trade Area, and we know that the only way that will work properly is to improve standards,” he stated.

The Chairman of the Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Mr Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze, assured the Authority of the Committee’s support and pledged to work closely with management to address some of its challenges.

He said the visit, which was the Committee’s first to an agency under its supervision, formed part of its oversight responsibility and was intended to deepen understanding of the Authority’s work and needs.

Mr Hottordze urged the Authority to compile a comprehensive report detailing its operational challenges, resource requirements and areas requiring legislative intervention for submission to Parliament.

He said the document would enable the Committee to effectively advocate support for the Authority and facilitate discussions on measures needed to strengthen its operations.

BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG

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