G-CAP WILL BENEFIT GHANA - AN EXPERT POINT OF VIEW

A Consultant in Trade facilitation under WTO on the Product Conformity Assessment (PCA), Mr. John Smith, has wielded into the ongoing debate on the implementation of the Ghana Conformity Assessment Program (G-CAP).

Explaining to Kwame Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's Kokroko Program, Mr. Smith assured all Traders Associations not to panic about the program as it is for all intents and purposes meant to protect their interests. He has advised the various trade associations to rather engage the Ghana Standard Authority

(GSA) to understand the Operational modalities of the program to better educate their members on their roles.

The G-Cap program is meant to Prevent the importation of unsafe, sub-standard and counterfeit goods into Ghana. The Program aims to protect consumer health and safety safeguard local producers from unfair competition and reduce the risk that the domestic market becomes the dumping ground for nonconforming products.

Contributing to the Program, Prof. Agyeman Badu-Akosa , a former Director General of the Ghana Health Service, welcomed the program and said it will help check the dumping of sub-standard drugs and health products unto the Ghana Market. He said countries like Nigeria who have started implementation of such conformity programs have started reaping the benefits.

The President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, George Ofori who also contributed to the program, said although the Association is not in disagreement with the need to ensure that goods imported into the country are of a higher standard, there must be proper and consistent guidelines.

The Government must choose between Destination inspection and this program which seems like pre-shipment.

The G-Cap program in Ghana is being undertaken by SGS. According to experts, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) does not have the global presence and quality infrastructure in the exporting countries to undertake such interventions independently. More the reason why GSA has partnered with Service Providers with global presence and technical capacity to undertake such interventions on behalf of GSA in the exporting countries

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