Ghana Standards Authority wants businesses to follow standards

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) on Thursday held a seminar for about 80 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises to create awareness on the need for them to use standards for their operations.

This is to increase their competitiveness on the international market.

Mr. John Oppong-Otoo, Standards Officer, reminded the participants that in the modern world, one could not do without standards, adding that standards are to ensure quality and safety of products.

“Standards help you compete on a level playing field with bigger enterprises,” he said. “ It opens up export market for products and services.”

Mr. Oppong-Otoo noted that many producers were not able to export their items due to the fact that they did not conform to requirements.

He reminded the participants that if they wanted to export, then they had to meet international standards.

“Standards give you the competitive edge, they enable you to meet regulatory requirements,” he advised.

Mr. Oppong-Otoo urged the participants to ensure that their operations are up to standards, saying, “It is very important to operate by standards”.

Mr. Winfred H. Tettevi, Eastern Regional Officer of the GSA, said to make the organization more competitive, the GSA offers on-site and off-side training programmes, seminars and workshops, Standards, Inspection, Testing and Certification.

He mentioned some of the training programmes to include Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, Quality Management System and Packaging and labeling, among others.

Mr. Tettevi explained that the GSA determines whether products, services and processes meet requirements of relevant standard.

He said the Conformity Assessment and Standards development were aimed at ensuring public health and safety that goods and services were of acceptable quality and to promote industrial growth.**