European Union satisfied with TRAQUE SMEs project

Accra, Oct. 3, GNA - Mr Christian Peters, Head of Macro-Economic and Trade Section at the European Union (EU), has expressed satisfaction about the projects of Small Scale Enterprises in establishing food safety and quality upgrading for their operations.

'I was impressed with the innovations by these SMEs which signified hope for entrepreneurs. There is a lot of potential to be built upon by these enterprises for the country's economic development," he added.

He made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra at a workshop to share experiences on standards, food safety and quality management systems for selected SMEs under the Trade Related Assistance and Quality Enabling Programme (TRAQUE), project supported by the EU.

The workshop was to showcase the achievements of the food safety programme dubbed: 'Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System by SMEs.'

The project was to strengthen the capacity of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and business development service providers to provide advice to SMEs on quality management services for food handling and processing.

Mr Peters said the project is critical because food quality is essential to consumer's health and as well as compete favourably in international markets, which enhances the country's socio-economic development.

He said in a bid to ensure that Ghanaian companies offer quality products that could stand the test of time in the local and global market, the country signed on to the TRAQUE.

The aim was to implement the national quality policy with the creation of a performing quality infrastructure, covering areas such as metrology, accreditation, standardisation, conformity, certification and regulation.

He said four Ghanaians institutions are beneficiaries of the programme with the EU providing a grant of 700,000 Euros for capacity development.

The beneficiary institutions are Ghana Export Promotion Authority, National Board for Small Scale Business and Industries, Ghana Standard Authority, and Food and Drugs Authority.

He urged government to create the needed enabling environment to SMEs to operate effectively.

Madam Habiba Sumani, Director, Women and Empowerment, TRAQUE Project said the NBSSI is implementing the project to build the capacity of SMEs in the agro- processing sector in food safety and quality management.

She said the project has two components-the capacity building on food safety and support to enterprises in quality upgrading.

She said under the support to enterprises in quality upgrading, 10 SMEs were selected and provided with training and support in legal requirement related to HACCP system, management system documentation and food safety and quality management.

The selected SMEs were presented with certificates and they include Up life Company Limited, Grace Foods, Fruito Foods Limited, Divine Foods, Mass Industries, Home Foods Processing, Blessed Child Foods, Elsa Foods, Samba Foods and Queen Organics Foods.

Madam Asantewaa Afia Wiafie, Quality Control Manager, Elsa Foods thanked the EU and other agencies for supporting the project and said it would help improve quality in the food processing industry.

She said the training has benefited the company to put in place effective food safety policy, pest control policy, waste management documentation, infrastructure development and improvement on food quality.

A speech read on behalf of Mr Lukman Abdul-Rahim, Executive Director, NBSSI noted that SMEs contributes significantly to economic diversification, exports, social stability and serves as a feeder line for multi-national companies.

He called for collaborative effort in addressing the challenges of SMEs to create a level playing field for both developed and developing countries to compete equally on the world market.

GNA