GSB to blacklist unregistered importers

Accra, Nov. 4, GNA - The Ghana Standard Board (GSB) on Thursday gave importers March 1, 2005 to register with the Board or be blacklisted.

Mr Lawrence Yankey, Acting Executive Director, said the move was to streamline operations, identify malpractices and help stop the influx of shoddy goods into the Ghanaian market.

Mr. Yankey said at a meeting with importers of electrical cables in Accra that the GSB was mandated to protect and ensure the safety of the consumer and that there was the need for all importers to have their products tested for quality before releasing them onto the market. The meeting is one of a series to be organized by the Board with other importers in the country.

He said the meeting was fuelled by public outcry of inferior electrical cables on the market and added that all electrical goods and many others should conform to international standards.

The Acting Executive Director gave the assurance that the testing of their product would take 48 hours after which those that pass the test would be released.

He said a registration form had been designed and would be distributed through their associations to enable the Board to know who was bringing what into the country.

The registration, he said, required importers to indicate the name of the companies, locations, products, brand, country of origin, name of suppliers and most importantly, a certificate of quality. In his contribution, Mr Robert Adjaye, President elect of the Ghana Institution of Engineers said Ghanaians should be quality conscious so that there would be a measure of comfort for both the consumer and the importer.

Mr. Joseph Obeng, National Organizer of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) pledged the Union's support to work hand in hand with the GSB but was quick to add that there was the need for the Board to explain in details the required standard as well as translate them into local languages for members to understand better. 4 Nov. 04