Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has warned importers that failure to adhere to the Conformity Assessment Test would be blacklisted when it starts implementing the Ghana Conformity Assessment Programme (GCAP) in October.
The Western Regional Officer of the GSA, Mr. Daniel Boateng Ofosu told Ghana News Agency in an interview in Takoradi that although the Authority would allow importers to conduct Conformity Assessment Test of high risk goods such as medicine, electrical appliances and foods in accredited laboratories in the country of manufacturing, the officials would take samples of such products for testing.
He said any importer found culpable of importing unwholesome or sub-standard products would be barred from importing goods. He said the GCAP aimed at reducing clearance time at the various entry points which would ultimately reduce the cost of doing business.
�Previously until goods are tested by GSA officials, those goods cannot be cleared by custom officials and this delays the clearing process but this time around the goods will be cleared since those goods have conformity certificate accompanying them,� he said.
Mr. Ofosu said the GSA would make it extremely difficult for importers to contravene the laid-down regulations regarding the enforcement of the GCAP.
He said the Authority would always protect the consumers� health and safety and would therefore not allow the country to become a dumping ground for cheap and unwholesome products.
Mr. Ofosu said goods that are imported into the country must meet applicable standards and technical regulations set by the GSA, in accordance with the Article five of the World Trade Agreement on Technical Barrier to trade and sanitary measures on export.
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