Mr John Smith, a consultant, says Ghana would benefit immensely from the implementation of the Ghana Conformity Assessment Programme (G-CAP) despite the complexities associated with the programme.

The G-CAP programme is meant to prevent the importation of unsafe, sub-standard and counterfeit goods into Ghana.

It is also aimed at protecting consumer health and safeguarding local producers from unfair competition as well as reducing the risk that makes the domestic market the dumping ground for non-conforming products.

Speaking at a forum on the policy, Mr Smith pointed out that, it is designed to protect trade association’s interests.

He asked trade associations to engage Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) to understand the operational modalities of the programme, to afford them the opportunity to educate their members on their roles in the implementation of the policy.

“It will certainly help Ghana in many aspects. It will check the situation where inferior and sub-standard products are dumped on the Ghanaian market.

“Elsewhere in United States, they give the manufacturing and exporting countries specifications and they ensure that it is adhered to,” Mr Smith said.

Former Director General of Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, said: “It is an initiative we must encourage and support. It will certainly help check the dumping of sub-standard drugs and health products onto the Ghana Market.”

“Countries like Nigeria who have started implementation of such conformity programmes are reaping the benefits. I think it is high time we embraced it, it has a huge potential to take trade in the country to another level,” He added.

Mr George Ofori, President of Ghana Union of Traders Association, said “Though 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”.

“Government must choose between destination inspection and this programme, which seems like pre-shipment.”

Under the G-CAP policy, products to be imported would undergo verification and testing at country of supply (exporting) and a Certificate of Conformity would be issued to demonstrate that the product meets the applicable standards.

The GSA has gone into agreement with SGS - the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and Certification Company, for the implantation of the policy.