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Tag: Ghana Standards Authority

  • GSA ramps Up surprise inspections to eliminate lead-contaminated paints

    GSA ramps Up surprise inspections to eliminate lead-contaminated paints

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) says it will carry out more unannounced inspections in paint shops across the country to ensure that only safe and quality paint products are sold to the public.

    This decision follows an undercover investigation by JoyNews, which revealed that some local paint shops were selling paints containing dangerously high levels of lead. The report also exposed shops where expired paints were being mixed with locally produced ones—an act that poses serious health risks to consumers.

    In response, the GSA launched surprise operations in Accra, targeting 15 paint shops. During the exercise, over 20 paint samples were taken for testing. Officials also discovered that some vendors were mixing different types of paints and selling them without proper labels, which violates Ghana’s consumer safety regulations.

    Despite some resistance from shop owners, GSA officials, backed by law enforcement officers, managed to carry out the inspections.

    Speaking to the media, George Kojo Anti, Head of Special Projects at the GSA, expressed concern over the findings, describing them as “alarming.” He warned that vendors who fail to comply with safety standards will face strict penalties.

    The GSA is urging all paint manufacturers and vendors to follow safety guidelines and ensure their products are properly tested and labeled before putting them on the market.

    The authority reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety, especially as lead exposure has been linked to severe health problems, including developmental issues in children and organ damage in adults.

  • Ghana Standards Authority to introduce online standards purchase before end of 2024

    Ghana Standards Authority to introduce online standards purchase before end of 2024


    Acting Director of the Certification Directorate at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Joyce Okoreee, announced plans for the introduction of online standards purchasing.

    Speaking at the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce’s webinar on “The Role of the Ghana Standards Authority in Promoting Local and International Trade,” Madam Okoree stated that the initiative is nearly 90% complete.

    “We acknowledge that it (the inability to purchase standards online) is an issue and it’s being addressed. For now, you can pay via mobile money and bank transfers and receive your standards with all the security features.

    “But very soon, you can make payment via VISA card or Mastercard. We will get there definitely this year.”

    She further mentioned that digitizing the purchase of standards is essential to minimize human involvement and ensure a smooth process. This includes timely completion of services and payments, as well as prompt delivery of expected outcomes to the client.

    What is the GSA?

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) serves as the National Statutory Body overseeing the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI). The NQI is built upon three primary pillars: Standardization, Metrology, and Conformity Assessment (Testing, Inspection, and Certification).

    Enacted in 2022, the GSA Act (ACT 1078) founded the Ghana Standards Authority with the responsibility to establish, publish, and uphold standards. Its mandate includes ensuring the quality of goods and services for local consumption, export, or importation.

    How does the GSA promote local and international trade?

    Quality infrastructure plays a pivotal role in trade, innovation, and competitiveness, enabling increased market access, expanded exports, product diversification, and enhanced investment prospects.

    Through stringent adherence to standards, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) ensures that Ghanaian products meet rigorous quality and safety standards.

    This not only elevates the reputation of Ghanaian goods but also fosters trust among consumers and importers. Moreover, it enables exporters to showcase their dedication to delivering top-tier products, thereby bolstering their export capabilities.

    Challenges in complying with GSA Standards

    Basil Yaw Ampofo, Unilever’s Global Product Compliance Manager for Africa, highlights that adherence to standards empowers the industry to compete effectively and boosts product acceptance in international markets. Nonetheless, persistent challenges hinder the industry’s compliance efforts.

    “Most of the time, some of the changes that the GSA will require of industry involve significant capital investment in technology and infrastructure, which can impact businesses’ operational costs. More often than not, the cost is transferred to the consumer, so goods become expensive”.

    He also noted that it “takes quite a while for the GSA to certify products”.

    Mr. Ampofo concluded that challenges have served as opportunities for innovation and process improvement within the industry. He, therefore, entreated the GSA to address these challenges by engaging in broad stakeholder conversations with the industry to explore solutions.

    Addressing the issue of delays, Madam Okoree remarked that “we know that sometimes we have delays. This is sometimes due to defective equipment.”

    She, however, assured businesses that the GSA will review its processes and explore how it can expedite their processes because “we need the business as well and if the industry is not happy, we need to take steps to meet their needs”.

    To address delays, in the meantime, Madam Okoree mentioned that the GSA is currently building the capacity of some regional offices to lessen traffic at its head office. This is in addition to expedited services for certain products, and the existence of competent partner testing laboratories that assist the GSA.

    The GSA and SME education

    Panelists agreed that the GSA could do more to educate the public on its role, especially how it differs from the Food and Drugs Authority, as well as educating SMEs on its role and encouraging them to comply with Standards.

    According to Madam Okoree, the GSA has simplified technical Standards, called pictorial Standards, and handbooks on the implementation of Standards, available at its library, to enhance SME education.

    A strong believer that “SMEs are the engine of growth”, Madam Okoree passionately encouraged SMEs to engage the GSA on their Standards needs, and issues to enable the Authority to develop bespoke solutions to spur their growth.

    “Our joy would be that we have many SMEs on board our scheme. If you have issues, you should write to the Director General informing him of your concerns. Formalizing the process with a letter ensures that you will get results.

    “Take advantage of our library and you can access many standards. GSA is here to build SMEs to grow. Our doors are always open, and we will discuss all issues with you.

    Panelists also discussed related topics including the GSA Mark of Conformity, its role in the AfCFTA, the product certification process, and how the GSA ensures that substandard goods do not cause public harm.

    Theophilus Tawiah, UKGCC Executive Council Member and Managing Partner, WTS Nobisfields, moderated the webinar.

  • Alan Cash donates 500 bags for construction of medical facility at Koforidua

    A presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kyerematen, has generously donated 500 bags of cement to support the construction of a medical facility for the Anglican Diocese of Koforidua.

    The church expressed gratitude for his selfless gesture, acknowledging it as a demonstration of his non-selfishness.

    “We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your unselfish contribution to the construction of our Medical Facility in Koforidua. Your donation of 500 bags of cement is very important to us. It will help us to commence the construction of our medical facility.

    “May this letter serve as a receipt of the 500 bags of cement you donated to us for which we are most grateful,” the letter said.

    The letter, dated July 12, 2023, further stated that Alan Kyerematen, in addition to being a presidential candidate, is also a valued member of the Anglican Communion.

  • GSA to go after illegal cable dealers

    GSA to go after illegal cable dealers

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has launched a statewide enforcement campaign to eliminate the market of inferior electrical cables.

    This follows GSA’s routine market surveillance exercises that showed an alarming increase in the proportion of substandard cables on the market.

    The exercise, which would involve officials of the GSA and the Ghana Police Service, is expected to get illegal cable manufacturers and importers arrested and their illegal operations halted.

    While the influx of illegal cable on the market poses a risk of domestic and industrial fires when used to wire buildings, their availability on the market is destroying the fortunes of certified local manufacturers of cables.

    Substandard cables also lead to losses to our electricity supplying companies the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) and affect the country economically.

    Market surveillance

    In 2017, the authority undertook market surveillance that involved testing cables for quality and standards.

    Of the 22 brands that were sampled for laboratory testing, only two, which were manufactured locally, passed the critical safety requirement test for conductor resistance.

    All locally manufactured cables at the time passed all tests.

    The cables were manufactured by Tropical Cable and Conductors Limited, Reroy Cables and Nexans Kablemetal Limited, all in Tema.

    At the time, the GSA began to educate the public on authentic cables by publishing the names of cable brands that had met critical test requirements.

    Even though the GSA still publishes the list of approved cables on its website, the public still patronises unapproved cables because they tend to be cheap.
    Local manufacturers

    The Director-General of the GSA, Professor Alex Dodoo, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the authority had information on some local manufacturers whose products were not certified by the GSA.

    As such, the GSA cannot attest to the safety of these products and has, therefore, cautioned the public against patronising these products.

    Already, the GSA has confiscated locally produced cables which are not certified in addition to impounding all imported cables that do not meet national standards.

    To protect consumers and to highlight the dangers posed by illegal cables, the GSA will be holding a stakeholders meeting next week to highlight the scale of the problem and to bring all manufacturers and importers into compliance.

    “The GSA will, however, press the stiffest applicable sanctions to all non-complying manufacturers and importers in line with the Ghana Standards Authority Act, Act 1078 of 2022,” Prof. Dodoo added.

    In the meantime, the GSA is advising all consumers to visit the GSA website (www.gsa.gov.gh) and search for the list of approved electrical cables before making any purchases.

  • GSA shuts down Fenis Metal company

    GSA shuts down Fenis Metal company

    Fenis Metal Technology Company, a local electric cable and copper rod production company in Prampram, by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for operating without a valid certificate.

    The Chinese-owned company was found to be operating without certification. Its products also lacked important information, including product batch numbers, date of manufacture and expiry, and the name and address of the producer.

    The company according to GSA was also deceitful about the origin of its products.

    The violations were discovered during a market sweep operation by GSA officers, aimed at removing substandard and inferior products from the Ghanaian market to prevent causing significant harm to consumers.

    George Anti, Head of Enforcement at the GSA, who led the team during the operation, stressed the importance of manufacturers complying with relevant regulations to ensure consumer safety.

    He said the GSA will continue to enforce standards and regulations to protect consumers and ensure a level playing field for all businesses.

  • NPA to control bitumen supply chain to improve effectiveness and quality

    NPA to control bitumen supply chain to improve effectiveness and quality

    The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced that it is designing a framework to control the storage, process, importation, and marketing of bitumen in the country.

    The framework, which will have inputs from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), is to streamline the bitumen supply chain and ensure compliance with quality standards specifications.

    The NPA Chief Executive, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and Management members of the Authority made this known on Wednesday, April 12, during an inspection tour of a bitumen storage and production plant at Tema jointly owned by Goil Good Energy and Societe’ Multinationale de Bitimumes (SMB) of Cote d’Ivoire.

    The facility with 7,500 metric tonnes installed capacity takes delivery of bitumen from Cote d’Ivoire.

    One component of the facility produces polymer-modified bitumen and bitumen emulsions, which are combinations of bitumen and some chemicals.

    Operations started in September 2022, and arrangements are underway for the official commissioning of the plant, possibly by President Akufo-Addo and his Ivorian counterpart Mr. Alassane Ouattara this year.

    Per the law establishing the NPA, it has the mandate to regulate all petroleum products, including bitumen, which is mainly used for road construction.

    Dr. Abdul-Hamid affirmed the commitment of the NPA to streamline the bitumen supply chain to ensure compliance with industry standards.

    Giving details of the NPA’s actions, the Head of Planning of NPA, Mr. Dominic Aboagye indicated that the NPA constituted a committee a couple of years ago to look at the entire bitumen supply chain to see how to streamline the sector.

    Consequently, he said, the Authority engaged players in the bitumen value chain to understand their operations, and it turned out that much of the supply was from Cote d’Ivoire.

    With that information, a team from the NPA led by Dr. Abdul-Hamid visited Cote d’Ivoire in 2021 to study the operations of Societe’ Multinationale de Bitimumes (SMB), the main exporter of bitumen to Ghana.

    Mr. Aboagye said the NPA committee had been developing the framework, and indicated that the Authority would engage the GHA, the GSA, the Customs Division of GRA, and players in the bitumen supply chain to finalize the framework to regulate the sector.

    He said all players in the bitumen supply chain would be licensed by the NPA to streamline their operations.

    In their presentations, the Group CEO of Goil Company Limited, Mr. Kwame Osei Prempeh said the plant had been selling the bitumen, polymer-modified bitumen, and bitumen emulsions on demand for road construction.

    He welcomed the move by the NPA to regulate the bitumen supply value chain as it would ensure the supply of quality products in the country.

    The NPA team that participated in the tour included the Director of Economic Regulation and Planning, Mrs. Alpha Welbeck, and the Director of Policy Coordination, Dr. Sheila Addo, the Head of Quality, Control, Mr. Ubeidalah Kutia Saeed, and the Executive Assistant to the CE, Mr. Faisal Ibrahim Cisse.

  • GSA to train Tamale Technical University on Ghana Building Code

    GSA to train Tamale Technical University on Ghana Building Code

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Tamale Technical University (TaTU) have agreed to train students and other artisans on the requirements of the Ghana Building Code.

    The agreement followed a discussion at the GSA head office between  Prof. Abass Braimah, Vice Chancellor of the TaTU, and the top management of the GSA on a potential collaboration in the training on and enforcement of the Building Code and other quality Standards.

    The Director-General of the GSA, Prof  Alex Dodoo, said that the collaboration was directly in line with his outfit’s mandate and that the Authority was fully committed to the partnership.

    He pledged the Authority’s support to the TaTU and noted that the partnership would improve the capacity of the school and develop students for the country.

    “Academic research should be a bedrock upon which industry must grow. We are keen on collaborating with you to make standards part of the students’ curriculum so that when they begin their careers, they can make reference to these standards in their respective fields of work,” he added.

    Prof. Braimah, on his part, said if Ghana wanted to industrialise, collaboration between institutions like the TaTU and GSA was very key.

    “We at the TaTU see the GSA as a very important institution, and together we can change the country,” he said.

    Prof. Braimah stated that both GSA and TaTU should work together by incorporating some of the standards in the university’s curriculum so that when students graduate, they already have an idea of the requirements.

    It was also agreed during the meeting that the GSA will visit the university and assess the various laboratories there for further collaboration in the testing of engineering products in the northern belt of the country.


  • GSA and Stakeholders discuss market quality of iron rods

    GSA and Stakeholders discuss market quality of iron rods

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has, as part of its mission of contributing towards the growth of industry and protection of consumers, engaged stakeholders in the iron rod industry to discuss the quality of products on the market. 

    The Authority also informed the stakeholders about its intention to conduct periodic factory and market surveillance in a bid to ensure adherence to standards. 

    A statement issued on Thursday by the GSA, said the Authority last year, embarked on a market surveillance in Accra, to check the quality of iron rods on the Ghanaian market, as against the Ghana Standard (GS 788:2), and found that some of the products surveyed during the exercise undertaken in the Greater Accra Region, did not meet the requirements, especially in respect to marking on iron rods, hence the decision to engage the stakeholders. 

    Mr. Clifford Frimpong, the Acting Director-General of the GSA, noted in the statement that the meeting was timely as there had been calls for countries to step up their enforcement efforts in the building and construction industry in the wake of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. 

    “Your industry is a very important sector in the development of the country. It’s important we all adhere to standards, especially in the construction sector, to avoid a major impact in the wake of natural disasters,” Mr Frimpong said. 

    “The National Building Code is a model we can all abide by to help strengthen the industry,” he added. 

    According to the statement, the stakeholders welcomed the efforts of the GSA in trying to sanitise the market and industry from sub-standard products. 

    They, however, noted that there was a need to extend the discussions to other stakeholders in the sector. 

    “We have full confidence in your processes and appreciate the work you are doing but we need to have a broader consultation for everyone to be on the same page so that compliance will become easy,” Mr. Eric Gené, Regional Managing Director of Fabrimetal, stated. 

    Mr. Seth Ayim, Executive Secretary of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said his outfit was willing to collaborate with the GSA to sensitise its members on the importance of Standards.  

    Organisations that were present at the meeting included Tema Steel, Atala Limited, K.K Peprah Co Ltd., and Antis Ghana, Fabrimetal. 

  • NACOC impounds $1.4 million worth of narcotic drugs

    The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has intercepted $1.4 million worth of Amphetamine, a narcotic drug, at the Accra Central Post Office.

    The narcotic drug, which was concealed in five Ghana Post branded boxes, was intercepted on Tuesday November 22 on suspicion by officials of the commission.

    The Head of Public Affairs and International Affairs Department of NACOB, Nana Osei Nkwantabisa, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic yesterday, said the boxes were all destined for the United Arab Emirates.

    He explained that upon suspicion, the brown boxes were opened and found to contain a total of 150 packets of coffee, labelled “Café Naijar Classic”.

    “Each packet was found to contain 624 tablets and a total of 93,600 tablets with an estimated street value of $ 1.4 million,” he said.
    Nana Nkwantabisa said a field test had been conducted on the tablets and the results proved positive for Amphetamine, a narcotic drug.

    He said samples of the exhibit had been forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for further examination.

    Investigations

    When asked about the identity of the culprits, he said because it was a postal service, the commission was still connecting the dots to unravel the unknown faces behind the illicit drugs.

    “What I can confirm to you is that the drugs were moved from Newtown in Greater Accra. Investigation is ongoing, but the person is at large.

    “They put fake contact numbers on the thing and put the receivers’ number. When the receivers sense danger, they will also go into hiding, and it becomes quite tedious to get them; but we are working to get them,” he said.

    Public urged

    The NACOC public affairs head advised members of the public to refrain from engaging in the trafficking of narcotic drugs.

    He said such an act was a criminal offence under Section 37 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019).

    “The commission urges the general public to check the contents of parcels handed over to them before taking custody in order to be informed of the contents, especially before and during the Christmas season,” he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Why a Wall Street banker quit his lucrative job and moved to Ghana to make chocolate

    Cocoa is a key component of the Ghanaian economy.
    The top two nations in the world for cocoa production are this West African country and Ivory Coast.
    Ghana in particular has done little to add value to the product despite producing it for generations other than to ship it in its raw form for foreign cash.

    Only 15% of the cocoa harvested in Ghana is processed domestically; the remainder is exported.
    However, more and more Ghanaians have started to enter the industry in recent years.

    One such person is Edmund Poku, who is a former banker at Wall Street. Poku was working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs when one of his MBA professors urged him to follow up on his thesis and set up a private cocoa processing company in his country of birth.

    He subsequently relocated to Ghana to start Niche Cocoa in 2011, which produces cocoa products and chocolate for export and the local market. Specifically, it produces its cocoa products and confectionery for supply to the worldwide chocolate, ice cream and bakery industries, according to Howwemadeitafrica.

    Niche Cocoa has the capacity to process 60,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans per year, making it the largest fully integrated cocoa processor in Ghana. The company makes semi-finished natural and deodorized cocoa butter, specialized cocoa liquor, and natural and alkalized cocoa powder. It also makes refined chocolate, chocolate drinks and spreads.

    Niche Cocoa operates within the free zones enclave in Tema and has so far received certifications from Halal, Kosher, Fair Trade, Organic, FDA, Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and UTZ, which underscores the fact that the company’s products are of high standards.

    In Ghana, cocoa consumption is low compared to Europe. Conservative estimates show an average Ghanaian consumes about 0.5kg of chocolate a year, while on the international market, it is about 10kg. Poku said his ambition is to increase chocolate consumption in Ghana and Africa following the recent expansion of his confectionery production. The company recently acquired ownership of one of the largest melting plants in Germany, which allowed the brand to access European end-user chocolate manufacturers, according to Howwemadeitinafrica.

    Poku and his team have also established a subsidiary company called Niche Cocoa Services in the state of Wisconsin in the U.S. in 2021. The company will pulverize cocoa cake into cocoa powder for industrial customers in the U.S. market, per Howwemadeitinafrica.

    The success of Niche Cocoa has not been without challenges, Poku said. It’s not easy competing with multinational firms when buying beans during the main crop season, he explained.

  • Let’s promote standards to industrialise Africa – Prof. Dodoo

    Professor Alex Dodoo, the president of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), has urged ARSO member nations to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to industrialize the continent and establish it as a hub for global manufacturing.

    He claimed that given the current economic unpredictability experienced by the entire world, Africa is essential due to its wealth of natural resources, which must be transformed into value-added goods in accordance with recognized standards.

    This, he said, will help rake in the needed revenue to support the continent’s development.

    “Africa’s time has arrived, and it is apt that the African Renaissance in trade and industrialisation is being rekindled in Addis Ababa with standardisation as the key tool for industrial transformation and accelerated trade.”

    Prof. Dodoo, who is also Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, made the call on Tuesday at the 67th ARSO Council Meeting at Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, where a high-powered assembly of leaders from the continent’s standards community have gathered.

    The meeting opened on November 27 and is expected to officially close on December 2 this year. It is the first meeting chaired by Prof. Dodoo since he was officially sworn into office as ARSO President in June this year at the ARSO General Assembly in Cameroon.

    Trade enabler

    Prof. Dodoo cautioned member countries of ARSO not to use standards as a punitive tool against industry, but rather as an enabler that drives trade and ensures sustainability.

    Standards, he explained, are critically important tools for trade; and member countries should use standards to unite Africa, not to restrict trade across the continent.

    “As I have said repeatedly, once tariff barriers are removed between countries, non-tariff barriers become prominent – and we at ARSO must work with our governments to eliminate these non-tariff barriers because standards should not be stumbling blocks for intra-Africa trade. Remember, where there are no standards there is no trade. Where there is no trade there is no economy. And where there is no economy there are NO jobs,” he said.

    Going forward, Prof. Dodoo outlined some key milestones that must be achieved to ensure a quick realisation of the continent’s industrial development. “Africa must and will industrialise, starting now,” he said.

    He said Africa’s industrialisation will be sustainable because Africa can learn from other geographies what worked and what did not.

    “Africa’s industrialisation and rapid growth will be inclusive since it is our females – our mothers and sisters and daughters – who will lead this industrialisation; and since no one will be left behind – because in Africa the concept of the family is each for all and all for God and Allah – together we shall industrialise,” he said.

    He added that: “We will pay attention to females, the youth, vulnerable and marginalised groups. We will listen to and work with them to drive industrialisation across Africa. Already, most SMEs in Africa are female-led – and they are transforming our economies. All we need to do is support their scale-up and expansion across the continent”.

    Roadmap

    To position the continent’s trading community on the path of rapid growth, Prof. Dodoo said there is a need to put in place some measures and score some significant policy goals.

    Among other things, he said, there is a need for a harmonised regulatory framework and adoption of African Standards to address TBTs in Africa for increased Intra-African trade and capacity building and standardisation education and support to SMEs, standardisation experts, consumers and the youth.

    He said it is also important to facilitate partnerships and collaborative efforts with the Africa Union, AfCFTA secretariat, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Afreximbank, AfDB, the private sector and donors; and facilitate formulation of the African Union Regulatory Directives, Summit decisions and legislations which promote Quality Infrastructure and Common Regulatory Frameworks.

    Prof. Dodoo said it is also critical to ensure the promotion of Mutual Recognition Arrangements, which currently have been initiated by ARSO and are being championed by Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe, while also focusing on universal membership in ARSO by all African countries.

  • Employers want government to harmonise statutory fees, charges

    The government should give priority to the synchronization of statutory fees and levies by important state agencies, according to the Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA).

    As one of its main recommendations for the 2023 budget statement, GEA claimed that by harmonizing the levies and fees levied by state “Authorities” like the Ghana Tourism Authority, Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Energy Commission, and Petroleum Commission, among others, it will prevent the growth of fees that companies pay to regulators but do not go into the Consolidated Fund.

    President of GEA, Dan Acheampong, maintained that the situation has been creating the impression that businesses are not paying enough taxes.

    “The reality is that these charges, levies and fees are suffocating businesses,” Mr. Acheampong explained at a forum hosted by GEA and organised labour to make inputs and suggestions into the 2023 budget as part of ensuring fiscal consolidation.

    GEA admitted that revenue shortfalls have been the main challenge in this current dispensation.

    The Association however recommend that revenue measures toward fiscal consolidation should focus on expediting implementation of the Tax Exemption bill, which has been passed by Parliament to ensure efficient and effective tax exemption management.

    “We want government to automate the collection of property taxes to prevent government officials from interfacing with the tax revenues received. Also, the benchmark value policy covering imported goods that are not produced locally must be looked at,” he said.

    The Association asked that government considers digitalising road toll collection infrastructure, and reinstating the road tolls to diversify government’s revenue portfolio.

    On E-levy, GEA wants a reduction from the 1.5 percent to 0.50 percent while retaining the current exemptions to make the policy more attractive.

    “Learn from the experience of East African countries and apply a financial services levy of between 10-15 percent on the transaction fees of all financial services, instead of just the E-levy.”

    As teacher and nursing training institutions have now been elevated to tertiary status, GEA argued that nurses and teacher training allowances should be abolished, and opportunities provided for students to access the students’ loan facility that is available for universities and technical universities.

    “The GhanaCard is already helping to eliminate ‘ghost names’ from government payroll. We further suggest that enhanced digital platforms be developed and sustained for use in cleaning the payroll to eliminate all payroll and employee compensation irregularities,” it recommended.

  • Suspend implementation of Act banning importation of some used cars – Minority to GSA

    The Minority in Parliament is asking the Ghana Standards Authority to suspend the implementation of Act 891 passed by Parliament to ensure road safety.

    According to the Customs (Amendment) Act 2020, Section 61 of Act 891 amended, all used vehicles imported into the country must be accompanied by a certificate of conformance.

    According to the Ghana Standards Authority, no used vehicle will be allowed into the country without the certificate.

    But addressing the media in Parliament, Minority spokesperson on Roads and Transport, Governs Kwame Agbodza warned any hasty implementation of the Act will result in revenue losses to government.

    The Adaklu MP is therefore asking the Ghana Standards Authority to freeze the implementation and consult more in order for the Act not to suffer same fate as the luxury vehicles tax which was later aborted.

    “If they have done their work, I wouldn’t be talking because I have met the used vehicle dealers, I have met members of the public who are complaining about this. As a Member of Parliament on the Roads and Transport Committee, I’m not aware of any public education on this. All we saw was a news item, we are not saying the law is on our books, we have passed many laws that on hindsight we realized that, that is not the right thing. I use the example of the Luxury Vehicle Tax, everybody thought it was going to bring some sanity on our roads but we had to come back and withdraw it. Withdrawal of the road toll, another mess, the implementation of E-Levy. So any time we caution, it is simply because we needed to take time to do these things.

    Nobody is saying that vehicles that are totally damaged should be brought into the country. The implementation of this should be in such a way that the average Ghanaian or those who need this can participate in the engagements.”

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • Minority calls for suspension of GSA’s directive on importation of used vehicles

    The Minority in Parliament says government must suspend the implementation of the Ghana Standards Authority’s directive that bans the importation of used cars which have no Certificate of Conformance (CoC).

    On Wednesday, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) directed that effective January 1, 2023, all used vehicles imported into Ghana should be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance from an approved body.

    According to GSA, the certificate must thus demonstrate conformance of the used vehicle to requirements of the Ghana Standard for used vehicles GS 4510:2022 Road vehicles — requirements for imported used motor vehicles.

    GSA’s directive is in line with the Customs (Amendment) Act 2020, Section 61 of Act 891 amended and related legislation.

    The Customs (Amendment) Act 2020 specifically Section 61, requires that used vehicles imported into Ghana shall be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance from an approved body.

    But importers of used vehicles have criticised the directive as one that will collapse their businesses.

    According to them, implementing the law will price out the poor from owning vehicles in the country.

    Speaking to JoyNews on this development, Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee, Governs Kwame Agbodza called on GSA to suspend the directive.

    “I want to call on the Ghana Standards Authority to hasten slowly, probably suspend the implementation on this basis.

    “They must learn from the hasty implementation of the luxury vehicle tax, they must learn from the hasty suspension of the collection of road tolls, they must learn from the other laws that were passed in this House and without adequate preparation, consultation and public education implemented and then drove us all into problems,” he said.

    The Adaklu MP argued that more stakeholder consultations must be had prior to implementation. He warned that the implementation of the directive will fail if stakeholders are not consulted.

    “Since we passed the law, I am not aware that the Ghana Standards Authority even approached the relevant committees in Parliament – Transport, Trade and Industry to tell them about the implementation process plan. I am not sure that GSA has done any stakeholder consultation between used vehicle traders, mechanics etc for everybody to be on board,” he said.

    He added that the Trade and Industry Committee in Parliament is ready to haul the Ghana Standards Authority before Parliament to discuss the roadmap for the directive.

  • GSA alerts public on conformance certificate for used vehicles

    If nothing unexpected happens, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) will begin enforcing the rule that all used automobiles imported into the nation must have a current Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an authorized entity as of January 1, 2023.

    The vehicle’s Certificate of Conformity (COC) is proof that it met all technical requirements for EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval at the time of manufacture (EC-WVTA).

    A car that has a COC has been homologated, and this certificate is recognized in the relevant jurisdiction.
    This means that a vehicle owner can register a specific car with a COC.

    The GSA states in a press statement copied to the B&FT: “The public – and more specifically, importers of used vehicles – must ensure that beginning 1st January 2023, all such cars shall be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an approved body”.

    The certificate, according to the GSA, must demonstrate conformance of the used vehicle to requirements of the Ghana Standard for used vehicles GS 4510:2022 Road vehicles – requirements for imported used motor vehicles.

    The GSA indicated that the directive is in line with the Customs (Amendment) Act 2020, Section 61 of Act 891 amended and related legislation.

    Accordingly, the Authority explained that enforcement of this aspect of the law will ensure improved safety, quality and asset value of used vehicles imported into Ghana, while sustaining the value chain of the used vehicle industry.

    It says a Certificate of Conformance can be obtained from approved third-party inspection bodies or through trained and licenced used vehicle dealerships.

    The statement noted that an updated list of approved inspection bodies and licenced used vehicle dealerships with contact details will be provided on the Authority’s website.

    “The Authority wishes to take this opportunity to remind all importers and assemblers of new vehicles to register with the Authority and ensure that vehicle models imported or assembled are homologated (certified) by the Authority, in line with the relevant Ghana Standards for new vehicles of categories M1 (Passenger cars and SUVs), M2 (Minibuses) and N1 (Pickups and cargo vans,” the statement said.

    The statement further states that new vehicles of models not homologated (certified) by the Authority shall not be permitted importation from 1st January 2023.

  • No ‘certification of conformance’, no used vehicles to enter Ghana from January 1, 2023 – Standards Authority

    The Ghana Standards Authority is informing the public and more specifically importers of used vehicles that beginning January 1, 2023, all used vehicles imported into Ghana shall be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an approved body.

    The certificate must thus demonstrate conformance of the used vehicle to requirements of the Ghana Standard for used vehicles GS 4510:2022 Road vehicles — requirements for imported used motor vehicles.

    This is in line with the Customs (Amendment) Act 2020, Section 61 of Act 891 amended and related legislation.

    Enforcement of this aspect of the law shall ensure improved safety, quality and asset value of used vehicles imported into Ghana, while sustaining the value chain of the used vehicle industry. Certificates of Conformance can be obtained from approved third-party inspection bodies or through trained and licensed used vehicle dealerships.

    The GSA said an updated list of approved inspection bodies and licensed used vehicle dealerships with contact details shall be provided on the website of the Authority.

    It, therefore, wished to take this opportunity to remind all importers and assemblers of new vehicles to register with the authority and ensure that vehicle models imported or assembled are homologated (certified) by the authority in line with the relevant Ghana Standards for new vehicles of categories M1 (Passenger cars and SUVs), M2 (Minibuses), and N1 (Pickups and cargo vans).

    New vehicles of models not homologated (certified) by the authority shall not be permitted for importation from January 1, 2023.

  • Stakeholders explore alternatives to clinker in local cement production

    The government has stated that it is willing to increase its support for the domestic cement manufacturing sector as stakeholders look for alternatives to some imported chemicals used in production due to concerns over their potential negative effects on the environment and the nation’s escalating foreign exchange problems.

    The current economic and environmental downturns, according to Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (MoTI), Michael Okyere Baafi, have sparked debates about using local alternatives like limestone and clay to make cement.

    “The economic benefits of these substitutes must not be underestimated. Clinker is not found in Ghana and every cement manufacturer imports, putting more demand on foreign currencies to pay for imports.

    “A much more sustainable input or replacement is the introduction of clay and limestone, which are mined in vast quantities in Ghana. Clay and limestone also reduce the carbon emissions from cement,” he added.

    The deputy minister, who was speaking at a construction sector exchange programme, asserted that using local substitutes will reduce the cost of production and significantly reduce pricing, especially within this incredibly competitive building environment.

    The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Mr. Clifford Frimpong, said government has signed an Institutional Partnership Agreement for Germany and Ghana to collaborate on testing and standards development for construction materials and chemicals.

    The partnership seeks a common objective of fostering economic and trade cooperation by implementing an institutional partnership between both countries’ government institutions. The institutions are the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for Ghana, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK) and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM).

    This formed the basis for a stakeholder engagement that was held under the theme: ‘Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: The Role of Local Substitutes in Cement Manufacturing’.

    Mr. Frimpong noted that the theme is in line with government’s efforts at creating an industrialised country while combatting the impact of climate change with the use of green and environmentally-friendly materials in the buzzing construction industry.

    Furthermore, he encouraged those in the construction industry to endeavour to comply with the standards provided by GSA for regulatory and policy activities. He observed that they contain elements which will improve the country’s construction industry and propel it into an important global economic player while protecting the climate.

    To this end, the Ministry of Trade & Industry is ready to assist businesses and local manufacturers of cement with a conducive environment and testing facilities to produce and stay profitable.

    The global cement industry is noted to be accountable for about 10 percent of global human-made CO2 emissions, of which 60 percent is from the chemical process and 40 percent from burning fuel. A 2018 study also estimates that the 4 billion tonnes of cement produced annually account for 8 percent of worldwide CO2 emissions.

    As these demonstrate how detrimentally the production of cement and concrete affects the environment with CO2 emissions, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry said: “The emissions can be reduced by lowering the clinker content, which in the case of Ghana has to be imported (with foreign currency)”.

  • Most Ghanaian contractors hardly test for material standards – Ghana Standards Authority

    Many Ghanaian contractors hardly present their building materials to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for standardized testing in direct contravention of the building code.

    The building code mandates that materials for building and road construction must be tested.

    Genevieve Baah Mante, Head of the Material Science Department, GSA, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Tema in an interview that local contractors do not willingly do so.

    “But on the contrary, the foreign companies mostly visit the GSA for testing for the specification of their building materials, which include water, concrete mixtures, sand, and iron rods, aggregate for road construction, thermoplastic marking paint, among others,” she said.

    Madam Mante explained that “the GSA has developed a building code that gives specifications for different products for the construction of buildings, and roads, but we have observed that mostly it is the foreign companies that bring their products there for checking.”

    She stated for example that foreign contractors of a lot of the buildings at the airport area, and the motorway interchange construction tested the materials and even the water used for the projects.

    She said more awareness must be created among the local contractors while urging the district assemblies to make it a requirement for the issuance of building permits.

    Giving the benefit of testing building materials, she indicated that the land that the building would be put on must be tested because if it contained a lot of organic matter the buildings would have problems.

    “The water that you use to mix the concrete if it contains a lot of salt and other materials, it will not help you to get the kind of binding property of the concrete that you need to have for a consistent product,” she said.

    Madam Mante observed that roads and buildings that could not last for their expected life span could be attributed to the lack of testing of the materials.

    She explained that the GSA is legally mandated to undertake national standards development and dissemination, testing services, inspection activities, product certification scheme, calibration, verification, and inspection of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments.

    The Authority also undertakes pattern approval of new weighing and measuring instruments, destination inspection of imported high-risk goods, and promoting quality management systems in the industry.

    Madam Mante said the Authority also advises the Ministry of Trade and Industry on standards and related issues.

    She emphasized that the services rendered by GSA were essential for economic growth, stressing that, “this is because standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits.

    “It helps to harmonize technical specifications of products and services making the industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade as conformity to standards helps reassure consumers that products are safe, efficient and good for the environment”.

    For business organizations, Madam Mante said standards are strategic tools and guidelines to help companies tackle some of the most demanding challenges of modern business.

    “Standards ensure that business operations are as efficient as possible, increase productivity and help companies and institutions to access new markets,” she said.

  • Most Ghanaian contractors hardly test for material standards – Ghana Standards Authority

    Contrary to the building regulations, many Ghanaian contractors seldom ever submit their construction materials for testing by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

    Testing of building and road construction materials is required by the building code.

    Local contractors do not voluntarily do this, according to Genevieve Baah Mante, head of the GSA’s Material Science Department, who revealed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema.

    “But on the contrary, the foreign companies mostly visit the GSA for testing for the specification of their building materials, which include water, concrete mixtures, sand, and iron rods, aggregate for road construction, thermoplastic marking paint, among others,” she said.

    Madam Mante explained that “the GSA has developed a building code that gives specifications for different products for the construction of buildings, and roads, but we have observed that mostly it is the foreign companies that bring their products there for checking.”

    She stated for example that foreign contractors of a lot of the buildings at the airport area, and the motorway interchange construction tested the materials and even the water used for the projects.

    She said more awareness must be created among the local contractors while urging the district assemblies to make it a requirement for the issuance of building permits.

    Giving the benefit of testing building materials, she indicated that the land that the building would be put on must be tested because if it contained a lot of organic matter the buildings would have problems.

    “The water that you use to mix the concrete if it contains a lot of salt and other materials, it will not help you to get the kind of binding property of the concrete that you need to have for a consistent product,” she said.

    Madam Mante observed that roads and buildings that could not last for their expected life span could be attributed to the lack of testing of the materials.

    She explained that the GSA is legally mandated to undertake national standards development and dissemination, testing services, inspection activities, product certification scheme, calibration, verification, and inspection of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments.

    The Authority also undertakes pattern approval of new weighing and measuring instruments, destination inspection of imported high-risk goods, and promoting quality management systems in the industry.

    Madam Mante said the Authority also advises the Ministry of Trade and Industry on standards and related issues.

    She emphasized that the services rendered by GSA were essential for economic growth, stressing that, “this is because standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits.

    “It helps to harmonize technical specifications of products and services making the industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade as conformity to standards helps reassure consumers that products are safe, efficient and good for the environment”.

    For business organizations, Madam Mante said standards are strategic tools and guidelines to help companies tackle some of the most demanding challenges of modern business.

    “Standards ensure that business operations are as efficient as possible, increase productivity and help companies and institutions to access new markets,” she said.

  • Adopt management systems to become innovative in your businesses – GSA

    Mr. Prince I. K. Arthur, Director of Metrology at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), has urged companies to innovate to stay up with the markets’ escalating competition.

    According to Mr. Arthur, firms must establish strong management systems to match the needs and expectations of their customers in order to compete and succeed in today’s marketplaces.

    The Management System Certification (MSC) establishes organizational cultures that engage in a continuous cycle of self-evaluation, correction, and process improvement. It also specifies procedures for controlling an organization’s activities and resources to achieve predetermined goals and objectives.

    Mr. Arthur, who was speaking at the maiden Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the GSA’s Management Systems Certification Scheme, said customers, governments and other stakeholders globally, are pressuring businesses to adopt management systems. Systems that guarantee consistent quality, prevent pollution and waste as well as protect the health of workers in today’s fiercely competitive global market, he added.

    He said, “the competition in the international markets is intense and this calls for innovation and application of tools such as management systems to propel your businesses to the top.”

    The Head of the GSA’s Systems Certification Scheme, Mr. Emmanuel Asare, explaining what the scheme entails and what is required of stakeholders, noted that the AGM was meant to advance discussions about the scheme to help them achieve their goals.

    Some of the stakeholders stressed that more publicity and training programmes on the scheme should be held regularly for businesses to properly understand and effectively implement it.

    The Marketing Manager, ASHFOAM, Joe Ampem-Darko, for instance, said GSA should intensify their publicity on the scheme and organise more training. “The training is very important because it helps us maintain and improve the system we are implementing,” he added.

    Among the participants, in the AGM, were Commodity Exchange, ASHFOAM Ltd., Dangote Cement Ghana Ltd., Airways Catering, Tamale Public Health Lab, Nano Foods Company, and Devtraco.

    The GSA’s Management Systems Scheme, established in 2010 and accredited by DAkkS (German Accreditation Body), provides certification services that are recognised globally, to promote industrial efficiency and assist Ghanaian enterprises to get access to the competitive (international) market.

    The Management System (MS) can be implemented by any enterprise or organisation in any sector, whether Public or Private no matter the size of the organisation.

  • Buy fuel from only certified retailers – NPA

    The Head of Consumer Services at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Eunice Budu Nyarko, has appealed to the public to purchase fuel only from filling stations with certification.

    She said stations with green Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) stickers were always the go-to places for petroleum products, since those stations were regularly monitored by the NPA and, therefore, the quality of their products could be guaranteed.

    During a public sensitisation exercise in the Central Region, Mrs Budu Nyarko also stressed the importance for consumers of petroleum products, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), to be conscious of their safety.

    The NPA is on a nationwide drive to sensitise key users of petroleum products, such as drivers, traders, micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as fuel retail outlets, to safety, quality and proper use of products.

    The exercise, which is being undertaken by a team from the national and the regional offices of the NPA, has seen the team engage traders, pedestrians, commercial drivers, as well as fuel retail outlets. In Cape Coast, the team visited the Tantre Lorry Station, the Kotokuraba Market and taxi station, the Abura Market, among other areas.

    Cylinders Mrs Budu Nyarko cautioned the public against placing LPG cylinders, both empty and filled, near naked fi res or inflammable liquids. She noted that that act had the potential to cause fi re outbreaks which could result in the loss of lives and properties.

    She underscored the need for users of petroleum products to adhere to all safety protocols because the flouting of laid down regulations had the potential of igniting fire outbreaks at home and workplaces.

    Complaints

    The Central Regional Manager of the NPA, David Owusu Kena, said the exercise was to educate and create awareness among consumers of petroleum products due to a number of complaints concerning dissatisfaction with the kind of services they got at the pumps.

    According to him, although the NPA was sensitising consumers of petroleum products to how to handle such cases safely, the exercise was for consumers to approach the NPA for their complaints to be addressed within the shortest time. On suspected cases of under delivery, Mr Kena said “so far at the stations that we have tested, their volumes with the 10-litre can have no form of under-delivery”.

    The regional manager said the NPA had been carrying out monthly, as well as random, checks to ensure that fuel retail outlets did not shortchange consumers through underdelivery and sale of substandard petroleum products.

    Mr Kena urged consumers to have more confidence in the NPA, noting that that had been a challenge because some consumers thought the authority was in bed with petroleum service providers.

     

     

    Source: Graphic.com

     

  • Ghana Standards Authority trains 40 Extension officers in Ashanti Region

    The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has extended its sensitization campaign on aflatoxins to the Ashanti Region with the training of 40 Agriculture Extension Officers.

    The training was under the National Aflatoxin and Sensitisation Management (NASAM) Project and aimed to provide solutions to combat the aflatoxin problem.

    Supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and her partners, the NASAM project aims to catalyse and sustain an inclusive agricultural transformation by improving food safety and security through increased knowledge about aflatoxins, its impact and management.
    The nationwide project, which began in 2018, had been to every region with Ashanti Region being the last.

    Aflatoxin refers to fungal contamination, which mostly occurs in foods such as groundnuts, rice, tree nuts, cocoa beans, spices and other dried foods, in areas with hot and humid climates before and after harvest.

    Aflatoxin, contamination remains a major food safety concern in maize and groundnut-based foods.

    High levels of aflatoxin present in grains produced in Ghana led to post-harvest losses, farmers selling their grains at lower prices and the inability of Ghanaian grains and derived food products to be sold on the international market.

    High aflatoxin levels also affect the health of consumers as it is known to be the cause of some diseases.

    The GSA team visited Bosomtwe, Ejisu District and Safo, a suburb of Kwabere East District, where they interacted and educated 50 grains farmers on aflatoxin.

    Meanwhile, the NASAM Project team led by the Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Prof Alex Dodoo paid a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Rev. John Manu.

    The office of MOFA and agriculture extension officers were of immense help to the effectiveness of the implementation of the sensitisation project and a key organization in providing visibility for the work.

    They continuously visit the rural farming areas to educate farmers on the management of aflatoxins through the value chain.

    Source: GNA