GSB to upgrade laboratories

Accra, April 1, GNA - Two laboratories of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) - Pesticide Residue and Microbiology - will soon receive certification by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to become internationally competitive. The infrastructure is being rehabilitated to be able to provide conditions for accreditation, Mr Adu Darkwa, Executive Director of GSB, said when the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh paid a familiarization tour to GSB in Accra on Wednesday.

He said the establishment of the Pesticide Residue laboratory would be under the arrangement with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for a loan from the African Development Bank at a cost of 17 million dollars. The contract, he explained, had been signed and construction, which is scheduled to end by 2011, was set to commence. Completion of the project will help the GSB carry out more testing to support agricultural products for domestic consumption and export. Mr Darkwa noted that a sound quality infrastructure was essential for the systematic and sustainable development of any nation and to enhance the competitiveness of goods and services distributed internally and for export.

Ms Tetteh said the Ministry would assist the GSB to discharge its duties and ensure the safety of consumers whilst imported goods met standards. She said the laboratories at GBS needed to be upgraded to become sophisticated to meet the testing requirements.

The Minister called for the need to review Ghana's standards as and when the European Union reviewed theirs.

Ms Tetteh and her entourage were taken round to the Narcotics Unit where narcotics drugs were tested, pesticide residue laboratory, metrology department and Assay Hallmarking where jewelleries are tested.