Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - Mr. Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry has asked Ghanaian manufacturers to continuously uphold standards of their products to enable them to meet the requirements in the global market.

He said sub-standard and inferior goods in terms of non-adherence to the health and life of mankind, plant and animal kingdom were frowned upon in the multilateral trading system.

"Standards and standardisation hold the biggest key to penetrate the multilateral trading system," he said.

The Minister was speaking at the launch of a raffle draw by the Ghana Standards Board on Friday aimed at promoting Standards And Made In Ghana Goods at the 10th Ghana International Trade Fair currently being held in Accra.

About 800 exhibitors, made up of 700 local firms and 100 foreign ones, are showcasing their products at the two-week fair on the theme: "Networking to Unlock Ghana's Trade Potentials."

Mr. Osei-Ameyaw said the government through the Standards component of the Trade Sector Support Programme, had plans to increase the export performance of the manufacturing sector through addressing the World Trade Orgaisation's requirements.

In this vein the Ministry is equipping the Ghana Standards Board and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the tow National Entry Points (NEPs) to develop and provide an interactive website online service to publish relevant information materials to assist the business community. "These technological projects are meant to create many avenues for exporters, to receive timely and relevant information on contacts and business opportunities, in targeted foreign markets," Mr. Osei-Ameyaw said.

Besides the NEPs will also offer users direct on-line access to market information, trade news alerts, including reports, business news, events and business leads, related to company specific industry sectors as well as market interests.

Mr. Osei-Ameyaw asked manufacturers to be sensitive to consumer demands and satisfaction as they strived to meet public standards set by international bodies.

He said it was important that to survive in the international market, the home market should be developed in order to attain a secure consumer market.

He appealed to Ghanaians to patronize made in Ghana goods to help strengthen local capacity and contribute to a speedy national development and significant mss employment.

Mr. Adu Darkwa, Executive Director of Ghana Standards Board said the raffle draw was to create awareness about standards and to also promote work of Ghanaian companies, which had made it both in the domestic and international market.

Mr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, President of the Association of Ghana Industries said the campaign to patronize made in Ghana goods would only success if the GSB puts its acts together to check the influx of shoddy goods unto the Ghanaian market.

He pledged the support of AGI to the crusade to promote made in Ghana goods and appealed to local private sector operators to support it. The raffle draw, which runs throughout the fair, entails prospective participants answering questions on standards and also some Ghanaian companies. Successful participants are then entered into a draw and win various products from the participating companies. Mr. Anthony Arden Boachie, Senior Commercial Manager Diamond Cement Ghana Limited, presented 50 bags of cement to the second prize winner. He said Diamond Cement would continue to meet the expectations of its customers by making available affordable cement to meet their construction needs.

Other participating companies in the raffle included GHACEM, Tropical Cable and Conductors Limited and Metalex, among others. Feb. 24 06