95 percent of goods exported without testing — Ghana Standards Authority
The Ghana Standards Authority says it is taking steps to ensure that every product the country exports is tested.
This has become necessary after the Authority disclosed to Citi Business News that only 5 percent of exported products from Ghana is tested while the remaining 95% is exported out of the country without the necessary testing.
Director-General of the Authority, Prof. Alex Dodoo, who disclosed this in an interview, blamed the situation partly on lack of communication and the delays in the testing processes.
“Two reasons, first a lot of exporters are not aware that they need to test to ensure that their products meet the right standards. And I put the blame squarely on the feet of all of us in government because we need to explain it to them to understand that. And of course, there are those who also for some reason deliberately want to do bad things.”
The situation has accounted for the rejection of Ghanaian goods mostly food on especially the European market which is Ghana’s largest market.
Several alerts have been placed on goods from Ghana by the European Union with warnings to authorities to improve the standards of those goods or face a ban.
Professor Dodoo however assured that his outfit and the FDA are working to reverse the trend.
“We are keen on one thing, our experience is based on the desire to ensure that the Ghanaian industry succeeds and thrives. And if Ghanaian exporters are aware that if they export poor quality goods to Europe and America, they will be rejected. they will seek the thing.”
Professor Dodoo also admitted that the testing processes needed to improve.
“There was a challenge as well in the past, the delays from us the agencies were too long. Now we are looking for solutions, that we can deliver on time because once it can be delivered on time, then you have no reason not to do what is essentially insurance for your goods which will ensure that funds are protected and you make the money that you expected.”