GSA begs for gov’t help before going autonomous

The Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) has asked for government help in completing ongoing projects before being removed from the pack of subvented state institutions. A new government policy to be in place by June, 2015 is expected to make the Authority autonomous.

The Authority will, therefore, bear the obligation of paying wages and salaries of its workers and embarking on its own projects, Minister of Trade and Industry Haruna Idrissu said on Thursday, July 10 when he inaugurated a new board for the Authority. The board will be chaired by Victoria Addy with Professor George Klu, Hayford Kofi Nimoh, Godwin Adagewine, Mabel Apaloo and Chief Executive Officer Dr George Ben Crentsil to serve as members.

Mr Iddrisu hinted that government has decided to revise the NRCD175 legislation that established the erstwhile Ghana Standards Board. That law will be replaced by a “more comprehensive” Ghana Standards Authority Bill, which is currently before Cabinet, he said.

Dr Crentsil admitted that the Authority has considered the suggestion of going autonomous though it still requires government's help in completing some projects. “We have other projects that we are pleading with government [to] help us finish…then maybe we can be on our own.”