The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), with support from the  Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), has embarked on an exercise at the Kejetia and Asafo Markets in Kumasi, in the Ashanti region, to sensitise traders and cold store operators on the importance of accurate measurements, as part of activities lined up to mark World Metrology Day (WMD).

The Authority also met with some stakeholders to educate and solicit feedback to improve upon its metrology services and calibrated for free scales used for measuring quantities of food items.

The WMD is celebrated annually on May 20 to highlight the significance of measurements in society.

The Day also commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, a treaty signed by representatives of 17 States that provides coherent measurement system worldwide.

The Director of Metrology at the GSA, Prince I. K. Arthur, noted that the programme is important to raise awareness of the significance of metrology in everyday lives.

“Metrology is key in trading effectively in the market. Ensuring accurate measurements will guarantee that consumers and traders are getting the exact value of whatever they are buying,” he said, while encouraging the traders to be opened to the sensitisation and allow the staff to help them to calibrate their trading equipment.

Some of the traders expressed excitement about the exercise and called for regular visits by the GSA team to educate them on the need for calibration of their trading equipment.

“Today’s exercise has been an eye-opener. I am now aware that calibration of my cold room will preserve the meat and fishes well and will lead to increased profits,” Nana Adwoa Asare, a cold room operator, stated.

During the stakeholder workshop held at the Golden Beam Hotel in Kumasi, Dr. Samuel Frimpong, the GSA Ashanti Regional Manager, encouraged stakeholders in the region to recognise the crucial role of metrology in enhancing their products and services.

Mr. John Danquah, the Head of Scientific Metrology at the GSA, noted that the impact of measurement is being felt around the world  and the WMD is celebrated to inform the public on why measurements are very important in our lives.

He called on health facilities in the country to depend on the GSA to help strengthen their services adding that they should bring their equipment to the GSA to have them calibrated in order to offer accurate diagnosis in their hospitals.

Some of the stakeholders expressed satisfaction at the Authority’s metrology services but appealed for more engagement to be abreast with the services.

“Collaborating with you over the years has been productive. You have helped us in our licensing process and we have seen an improvement in health service delivery. Please intensify your awareness so every health facility calibrates their medical devices,” Mr. Enos Opoku Amofa a representative from HeFRA noted.

Stakeholders that attended the meeting include representatives from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), Ghana Health Service, Kumasi Technical University, GOIL, pharmaceutical companies, among others.