Expedite bill to give GSA financial autonomy – Cabinet urged

The Committee on Trade Industry and Tourism in Parliament has recommended that Cabinet speeds the process of considering a proposed bill by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) that will allow it to execute its mandates more effectively and independently.

The Committee argues that passage of the proposed bill would also allow GSA to administer penalties, custodial sentences and the power to destroy sub-standard goods upon seizure; a move which the committee argues will protect consumers. The bill further makes provision for the establishment of a Specialised Quality Court to fast-track the adjudication of quality-related cases.

Currently, the proposed bill has gone through the Attorney-General’s Department and is at the level of Cabinet for consideration.

Commenting on the bill, the Director General of GSA, Prof. Alex Dodoo, stressed that ensuring financial strength and power for the institution will enable his outfit to protect consumers and help business grow, especially in the era of continental free trade.

Provisions have also been incorporated into the proposed GSA bill to ensure that all public procurement of cement and other building materials are in line with standards specified in the Ghana Building Code. The Authority also intends to develop mandatory standards in the following areas: Railway sector, Tourism, Banking, I.C.T., Vehicle Repair and Mining, among others.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, in supporting the recommendations also advised government to reposition the GSA as an important institution in the country’s trade facilitation regime.

“These dangerous cables and gadgets and accessories can be one of various sources of fire incidents happening in many parts of the country. We need to take urgent decisions to police our ports and the borders,” he added.

“We are supposed to be protecting consumers and also moving businesses forward. But to the extent that we do not have the resources to do so, it leads to having products coming into the country with poor quality – and that narrative has to change because Ghana is now hosting the African Continental Free Trade Area, and things brought here must meet the best standards available.

“Our expectations are that the GSA will be given the power to fine and enforce strong punitive sanctions to deter defaulting companies and individuals,” he said.

The Committee’s recommendations came following a statement delivered by Ato Panford, MP for Shama, in April 2019 which talked about the challenges of imported sub-standard electrical cables, gadgets and accessories; and the Speaker subsequently referring the statement to the Committee of Trade, Industry and Tourism for consideration and report.