The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has appealed to Parliament for resources to strengthen standards enforcement and improve product testing across the country. This request highlights a critical need to bolster Ghana's capacity for quality control, directly impacting its economic competitiveness.
Professor George Agyei, the Director-General of the GSA, stated that inadequate laboratory capacity, staffing shortages, and restrictions on using internally generated funds significantly limit the Authority. These constraints prevent the GSA from performing effective product testing, conducting market surveillance, and assisting industries in meeting international standards. This directly affects consumer safety and the ability of Ghanaian products to access global markets.
This appeal comes as Ghana aims to deepen its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and implement an ambitious 24-hour economy initiative. Ensuring rigorous product standards is essential for the success of these economic strategies. Meeting international quality benchmarks will allow Ghanaian businesses to compete effectively and avoid liabilities arising from non-compliant products.
Prof. Agyei made the appeal during a visit by members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism to the GSA offices in Accra. He emphasized that investment in laboratories, equipment, and personnel is crucial for the GSA to fulfill its mandate in standardisation, metrology, and conformity assessment. The Chairman of the GSA’s Governing Board, Alhaji Hudu Mogtari, reinforced this, stating that strengthening the Authority is vital for Ghana to seize opportunities under AfCFTA and expand its export markets. “We are looking at an economy that seeks to grow and deepen participation under the African Continental Free Trade Area, and we know that the only way that will work properly is to improve standards,” Alhaji Mogtari said.
The lack of proper testing capacity means many Ghanaian products fail to meet the strict quality and conformity requirements of destination countries, hindering export growth. Prof. Agyei noted that even for domestic projects like road and construction, the GSA lacks the capacity to test all materials for compliance. The Select Committee Chairman, Mr. Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze, assured the GSA of the Committee's support. He urged the GSA to prepare a comprehensive report detailing its challenges and resource needs for parliamentary review.
This parliamentary engagement could lead to increased funding and legislative support for the GSA. Enhanced standards enforcement will improve the quality of goods produced in Ghana, benefiting both local consumers and export-oriented businesses. Decision-makers and markets will watch for concrete government actions to address these capacity gaps. This is especially important for Ghana to fully harness the economic potential of industrial growth and trade liberalization in Africa.