The Ministry of Trade and Industry is warning of the possibility of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME) without Ghana Standards Authority's certification losing out on the African Continental Free Trade Area deals.
A Ghana Standards Authority survey reveals fifty (50) percent of local manufacturers delay with certification renewal timelines while others fail to renew.
Director of Bilateral, Multilateral and Regional Integration at the Ministry of Trade, Mickson Opoku, meanwhile cautions defaulting businesses might not be able to compete favourably in the trade area.
“When you want to enter a market, your products will have to meet some basic standards. Standard issues are very central. For every commodity, that is one of the things that consumer protection and acts will always be looking out for.
“It may not be binding. But if you do not meet the market requirement, which includes standards, your products could be rejected. Ghana for example, has a very strong institution which is the Standards Authority. It has a lot of credibility with almost all standards institutions in Africa and Europe,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Mr Opoku wants the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and GSA to step up efforts in SME education to ensure compliance.
“We need to upgrade our laboratories. We have to make sure the education on standards and product quality becomes the central point. With the Ghana Standards Authority, Parliament has approved a quality infrastructure policy that allows them to have that kind of system and structures.
“There are a lot of policies and approvals that allow them to take a lot of actions. I am sure very soon they will be going out strongly on the type of products we find on the shelves. But it is not enough to just go and remove them. It has to start with education,” he revealed.
Latest Stories
-
Baby abandoned in manhole in Tema Community 1
7 mins -
We’ll establish fiscal council to rein in excessive borrowing – Finance Minister
14 mins -
Mortuary workers issue fresh strike threat
18 mins -
‘Lapses in banking system are not unique’ – John Awuah on managing fraud in Ghana’s Banks
26 mins -
Bawumia confident of victory in 2024 election
60 mins -
Strengthening audit institutions essential for tackling fiscal mismanagement – Domelevo
1 hour -
Healthy Aging: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and How Diet Can Help
1 hour -
Seek medical care, diagnosis for breast cancer – Dr Abiti to women
1 hour -
Hardship: Men now collect marriage list from different families to get cheapest – Report
1 hour -
‘If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll get it,’ Falz tells VeryDarkMan
2 hours -
Paramount Chief of Avenor grateful to NPP, calls for completion of Agenda 111 project
2 hours -
Bawumia commissions ultramodern office complex for Ho Municipal Assembly
2 hours -
Bawumia declares NPP’s infrastructure record unmatched
2 hours -
Importers face duty on Electric Vehicles despite gov’t’s exemption promises
2 hours -
4 additional Democracy Hub protesters discharged
2 hours