Accra, Aug. 24, GNA – The Secretary General for International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Sergio Mujica, who is on a three-day visit to Ghana, has paid a courtesy call on Mr K.T. Hammond, the Minister of Trade and Industry.
Mr Mujica, accompanied by Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General Africa Organisation for Standardisation, is in the country to foster collaboration with Ghana to enhance the growth of trade and industry.
Addressing the media after the meeting with the Minister, the ISO Secretary General praised the leadership of Ghana in the international organisation for standardisation.
“We have some of the best practice right here in this country when you approved last year. For example, the National Quality policy that is very important as well as we have more than two laws that captured Ghana Standards Authority also in the year 2022,” he said.
He acknowledged the country’s ambitions of becoming a hub for industry and emphasized the essence of specifications and requirements that bring together all best practices around the world.
Mr Mujica said ISO was working to ensure the recognition of one standard certificate everywhere in the world.
“That’s the value for reference language that can be understood and recognised by everyone,” adding that he expected members of industry, government and academia working together could agree on the key essential elements that needed to be complied with to protect the environment.
“We need an active participation of the Ghana spirit of the African expert in the international standardisation process. We need your voice to make sure that the international standards represent properly the interest of all regions of the world,” he added.
Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, ARSO Secretary General, bemoaned the rejection of products coming from the continent, mainly due to trade barriers, adding that there was the need to adopt one standard test and certificate at continental level.
“We need to withdraw conflicting standards at the national level,” he said.
Prof. Alex Dodoo, President of ARSO and Director General of GSA, said the delegation called on the Minister for Trade and Industry to seek his leadership to champion the cause of ensuring that standards adopted and accepted become mandatory for all other countries.
“So this visit is designed to promote leadership within the African continental free trade area by addressing the key fundamental challenges, which if left unaddressed, we’ll have our efforts,” he said.
As part of his schedule, Mr. Mujica will engage in several crucial meetings with top management members of the GSA, meet all staff at the Head Office to discuss pertinent issues in relation to
standards development and the importance of teamwork to realise the organisation’s goal of becoming a customer- focused world-class standards institution.
GNA