The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), has assured industry of its commitment to ensuring a level playing field for all stakeholders involved in various industries throughout the country.
This promise, the GSA indicated, forms part of ongoing efforts to promote fairness, transparency and market competitiveness.
Director-General-Ghana Standards Authority, Alexander Dodoo, made these remarks at the 12th Association of Ghana Industry (AGI) awards. He stressed the importance of creating an environment that allows businesses, both local and international, to thrive without unfair advantages or barriers.
“Industry only grows when there is a level playing field, and we have been endeavouring to ensure this. The GSA can confidently assure you that very soon there will be no ‘Alonka’ measuring system anywhere in our markets; weight and quantity measurement for anything in the market will be of scientific standards. By ensuring a level playing field, we aim to maximise opportunities for growth, innovation and economic development,” he said.
To achieve this, the GSA will consistently promote and enforce adherence to industry standards, regulations and guidelines; as well as ensure that all goods and services meet the necessary safety, quality and performance requirements. This will not only protect consumers but also foster healthy competition among businesses.
Among other things, the Director-General highlighted that small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), for instance, need protection and fair systems to grow and become the huge multinationals known across the continent. Therefore, special training and certification programmes will be initiated to assist them meet standards required by the big shopping malls and exporting firms in order to connect with those markets.
“This year, the GSA is making it possible for about 200 SMEs – mostly women-owned – to be trained and certified by both the GSA and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and 100 are currently undertaking the programme,” he said.
Commercial Disputes Resolution
Taking her turn as guest of honour, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who was speaking on the topic ‘The importance of legislation in protecting business and investments in our industrialisation drive’, mentioned that the World Bank 2020 report on the ease of doing business in Ghana identified some challenges of doing business in Ghana as long periods of settling trade and commercial disputes, and laws; therefore, measures have been put in place to address these.
She said the judiciary service will also work tirelessly to streamline and simplify processes, making it easier for businesses to comply with standards and regulations by fast-tracking commercial disputes.
However, she lamented that though the CI 87 introduced makes room for hearings to be conducted electronically via video link, a majority of the 240 courts across the country lack facilities and resources needed to conduct a virtual hearing.
Therefore, corporate entities must support government in providing needed resources so the courts are enabled to undertake virtual hearings for the purpose of fast-tracking resolutions in commercial disputes.
President-Association of Ghana Industries, Dr. Kwesi Humphrey Ayim Darke, emphasised that the event, themed ‘Promoting Local Manufacturing in an Ever-changing Business Climate’, is an opportunity to remind policymakers local production is a catalyst for job creation and economic growth. Therefore, investing in local businesses and manufacturing companies as well as creating an enabling environment for them to thrive creates shared prosperity.
