In the framework of the EU-financed West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has provided technical support to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) Cosmetics Laboratory, to strengthen its competence to test and certify cosmetic products produced in Ghana.

GSA cosmetic laboratory has been supported to increase its testing capabilities in applying DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 and has been enhanced to upgrade their capabilities for the conformity assessment activities.

The laboratory was assessed on-site by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS) an entrusted national accreditation body of the Federal Republic of Germany and has been accredited effective November 2023.

This puts the laboratory of Ghana’s GSA  in the lead with the largest ISO accreditation scope in Africa to be accredited in Cosmetics test methods. As a result of the 2023 ISO accreditation, GSA has now improved its international recognition in the testing of regulated products in cosmetics, and the laboratory is now in an enviable position to compete with laboratories in Europe and Western countries.

Dr. Martin Adarkwah – Yiadom, Head of Drugs , Cosmetics , and Forensic  Science Laboratory of the GSA commenting on behalf of Professor Alex Dodoo, Director General of the GSA,  said the team worked hard for this achievement and grateful to the European Union and UNIDO for the various capacity building for the GSA and the support to receive the accreditation.

“We are grateful to our sponsors, the EU , UNIDO and WACOMP for the  continuous support over the years. The accreditation to test cosmetics supports the  GSA’s mandate of using standards to contribute towards the growth of industry, protect consumers and facilitate trade through standardization, metrology and conformity assessments.”

Ebe Muschialli, the Project Manager of WACOMP - Ghana affirmed: “The support to GSA Strengthens an already established relationship with UNIDO in making products and services from Ghana globally competitive and promotes intra-African trade.”