The Deputy Director–General in charge of Operations at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Dr. Awal Mohamed, says Ghana is making gradual progress in standards compliance, but significant challenges remain, particularly in enforcement, education, and price sensitivity.

Speaking during a JoyNews National Dialogue on declining adherence to standards, Dr. Mohamed noted that assessing compliance cannot be reduced to simple numerical comparisons without considering the country’s broader socio-economic realities.

According to him, awareness and understanding of standards among Ghanaians are improving, even though full compliance will take time due to long-standing reliance on local products and traditional practices.

“For adherence to standards, I would say Ghanaians are getting to understand them better, and we are gradually enforcing some of them. But because communities have used local products for a long time, implementing and enforcing standards will naturally take time,” he explained.

Asked to rate Ghana’s current level of standards compliance, Dr. Mohamed placed the country between five and six out of 10, describing the situation as one of steady but incomplete progress.

“If I were to rate where we are as a country, I would say maybe a six. We are beginning to understand what needs to be implemented and adhered to, even though challenges remain,” he stated.

He stressed that sustained public education is critical to improving compliance, noting that enforcement alone will not yield results without broad public understanding.

Dr. Mohamed also highlighted price sensitivity as a major barrier to compliance, explaining that standardised products often cost more, making consumers reluctant to prioritise quality over affordability.

“When a product meets standards, it is likely to be more expensive, and many consumers focus on price rather than quality,” he observed.

Despite the challenges, the GSA official expressed optimism that with consistent education, stronger enforcement, and stakeholder collaboration, Ghana’s adherence to standards will continue to improve over time.