It’s been a great year under review for TRAQUE – Programme Director
The Programme Director of the Trade Related Assistance and Quality Enabling Programme (TRAQUE), Mr. Michael Senayah has touted the achievements of the project in 2016 as very commendable.
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He said the various interventions and assistance the Programme had embarked on throughout the year was tremendous and has helped a lot of institutions.
Mr Senayah, said this in an interview with the Graphic Business in Accra.
“We have supported the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) with the provision of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment which has led to the reduction of non-compliant food products, drugs, medical services and household chemicals, he stated”
The Trade Related Assistance and Quality Enabling Programme (TRAQUE) is an European Union (EU) funded project implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).
It aims at supporting private sector development, trade facilitation and capacity building of standards and quality institutions.
Aiding efficiency
Mr. Senayah mentioned how TRAQUE has aided efficiency at institutions like the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food Research Institute (FRI) and the Institute of Industrial Research. Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) among others.
He believed its support to these institutions had improved efficiency and increased productivity as the number of products analyzed at the laboratories of these institutions per a given period had increased as a result of the supply new equipment and the various trainings of lab personnel of how to operate these new equipment.
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National Quality Policy
He also pointed out that this year had seen it fulfilling one its main objectives of assisting the Ministry of Trade and Industry in drafting a National Quality Policy.
He said the effective implementation of the National Quality Policy would strengthen the country’s ability to establish and continually improve the quality of goods and services produced in the country.
Support to institutions
Mr Senayah said it also funded the Crops Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to develop a farmers’ manual on the Green Label Certification Scheme.
He said this included training of 400 fruit and vegetable farmers in the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions of Ghana to improve their knowledge on the correct use of pesticides, traceability and waste management.
He noted that Small and Medium Scale Enterprises were also targeted for support through the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI).
He said some selected SMEs in Accra were trained in addressing basic food safety and quality in the production process in order to make them competitive.
This he believed had increased the opportunity for the products of some of these small businesses to be accepted by formal institutions and supermarkets in Ghana.
Impact of TRAQUE
With TRAQUE ending in April 2017, Mr. Senayah was optimistic of the gains the Programme will have on the trade sector in the immediate future.
“With regards to impact of TRAQUE after its end, we are expecting to see concrete results from the different institutions we have supported taking into account all the investments we have made, he said”
“We expect a drastic reduction in alerts on exported commodities to the international market especially the EU market; a more strengthened national quality infrastructure where quality institutions will have clear mandates and the capabilities to control and promote compliance with requirements, he added”
“I can categorically say that the purpose of TRAQUE has been fulfilled to a large extent. This is because some of the interventions of the Programme are progressive and the impact is expected to be seen over a period of time.”