Trade Ministry Promotes Weight Use

To ensure uniformity and prevent corruption at markets in the country, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is promoting the use of weights and measures in the country. The use of weights and measures by traders is also expected to help consumers obtain value for what they purchase. People do not measure products at most traditional markets and modern shopping centres. While traders at markets across the country use traditional measuring instruments such as �Olonka� or �American tin� and the �Margarine tin� for measuring solid products such as cereals, grains and other powdery substances, bottles and plastic containers are used to measure liquid products such as palm oil, vegetable oil and kerosene. Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of trade and Industry, speaking at the opening of a model shopping centre at Adenta, hinted that the Ministry was collaborating with other key partners such as the Ghana Standards Board to abolish the use of the traditional measuring instruments in the country. The Ghana Standards Board is the statutory body mandated to ensure Standards, Quality Assurance and Metrology. The Board is mandated to inspect, test and certify products, as well as advise the Ministry of Trade and Industry on standards and related issues. Trade and measurement have in the past recent years been inextricably linked. Plans to encourage the use of weighing scale and other modern measuring instrument, according to some stakeholders, is in the right direction as it will enable the country meet international standards in the commence sector and also facilitate trade with neighbouring countries such as Cote d�Ivoire, Togo and Benin who use weighing scales. A visit to a typical Ghanaian market reveals that about 11 different types of the traditional measuring cans are used. In an attempt to swindle the customers, some traders place papers, cloths and wax at the bottom of these traditional measuring cans. Paul Michael Date, Head of Scientific Metrology of the Ghana Standards Board said �A lot of cheating takes place in the market that is why the buyer insists on the seller to offer them discount or ask for addition.� Eric Acheampong, Acting Director of the Ghana Standards Boards (GBS) Metrology Division, said the introduction of measures and weights in the market would be successful implemented when Parliament finally assents to the weight and measurement decree 1975, NCRD 326, which has been before the House for years. The decree gives GBS the authority to verify and certify measuring instruments used for trade and commence. To ensure uniformity and prevent corruption at markets in the country, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is promoting the use of weights and measures in the country. The use of weights and measures by traders is also expected to help consumers obtain value for what they purchase. People do not measure products at most traditional markets and modern shopping centres. While traders at markets across the country use traditional measuring instruments such as �Olonka� or �American tin� and the �Margarine tin� for measuring solid products such as cereals, grains and other powdery substances, bottles and plastic containers are used to measure liquid products such as palm oil, vegetable oil and kerosene. Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of trade and Industry, speaking at the opening of a model shopping centre at Adenta, hinted that the Ministry was collaborating with other key partners such as the Ghana Standards Board to abolish the use of the traditional measuring instruments in the country. The Ghana Standards Board is the statutory body mandated to ensure Standards, Quality Assurance and Metrology. The Board is mandated to inspect, test and certify products, as well as advise the Ministry of Trade and Industry on standards and related issues. Trade and measurement have in the past recent years been inextricably linked. Plans to encourage the use of weighing scale and other modern measuring instrument, according to some stakeholders, is in the right direction as it will enable the country meet international standards in the commence sector and also facilitate trade with neighbouring countries such as Cote d�Ivoire, Togo and Benin who use weighing scales. A visit to a typical Ghanaian market reveals that about 11 different types of the traditional measuring cans are used. In an attempt to swindle the customers, some traders place papers, cloths and wax at the bottom of these traditional measuring cans. Paul Michael Date, Head of Scientific Metrology of the Ghana Standards Board said �A lot of cheating takes place in the market that is why the buyer insists on the seller to offer them discount or ask for addition.� Eric Acheampong, Acting Director of the Ghana Standards Boards (GBS) Metrology Division, said the introduction of measures and weights in the market would be successful implemented when Parliament finally assents to the weight and measurement decree 1975, NCRD 326, which has been before the House for years. The decree gives GBS the authority to verify and certify measuring instruments used for trade and commence.