Takoradi, March 21, GNA - Mr Francis Court-Tawiah, Western and Central Region Officer of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) has stated that the GSB would soon establish a metrology laboratory in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to measure and weigh heavy duty machinery. He said the GSB had already acquired 2.9 acre land for the project adding that the establishment of the laboratory had become necessary because of the discovery of oil in commercial quantities in the region.

He said the laboratory would facilitate the measurement and weighing of heavy duty machinery meant for the oil sector. Mr Court-Tawiah told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Takoradi that equipment imported into the country for the oil and gas sector must meet international standards hence the decision to establish the laboratory.

He noted that the core objective of the GSB was to undertake conformity assessment of goods imported into the country as well as goods exported to the European markets to meet international standardisation.

"With regards to imported products and services the GSB is responsible for ensuring compliance with national policies on metrology, standards, testing and quality assurance," he said, adding that the law establishing the Board gave it the mandate to certify goods imported into the country.

In addition, he said the Ministry of Trade and Industry since 2003 mandated the GSB as the competent Authority responsible for inspection of selected imports of 93High Risk Goods" under the destination inspection programme. Mr Court-Tawiah stressed that the Board ensured consumer protection, promote fair trade practices, reduction in sub-standards goods on the market, elimination of illegal importation of fake and prohibited goods as well as ensuring healthier and safer products on the market.

He said it is an offence liable to prosecution to have GSB mark or logo on your products without going through the assessment for accreditation and that the Board had intensified its market surveillance to apprehend such individuals.

Madam Hannah Augustina Okyere, Takoradi Administrative Manager of the GSB, said the Board recently undertook market surveillance in 20 electrical shops in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to get rid of fake electrical appliances in the system. She urged consumers to always look out for labels such as name of the products, list of ingredients, date of manufacturing, expiry date as well as directions and instructions for use before purchasing the products.

Madam Okyere said Ghana is a member of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Africa Region Organisation for Standardisation as well as the International Electro-tech Commission and therefore she always strived to meet international standard. Madam Okyere noted that the Board had been organizing sensitization workshops in the region to create awareness among the general public about the activities of the Board.