Towards standardisation in weights and measures
Most countries have adopted metric measures to some degree through international trade and standardisation.
Advertisement
Ghana passed its first law in 1973 and it was later amended. It was the opinion of a director at the Ghana Standards Authority a few years ago that multiple standards of measurement might be with us for some time.
It is interesting to find this duality or multiplicity in systems in some countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States and in Ghana as well. For instance, decision and policy makers and newsmen in Ghana continue to quote measurements in imperial units without giving the metric equivalents when actually in law or on paper we have gone metric.
In Ghana, the scientific community and educational system uses the international System of Units (SI Units). However, many manufacturers quote the size of their electronics in inches (for example 32”, 48”). If metrification or metrication is to be given serious thought, then it is policy makers that should lead the way.
In the 1970s, most British Commonwealth nations changed from the Imperial system of units to the metric system.This was due to strong government encouragement and support. Other countries such as Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone followed suit.
Today, South Africa is widely acknowledged as a world leader in the field of metrication and in the application of the SI system.
Imperial measures use inches, feet, yards and miles for measuring length and area; pints, quarts and gallons for measuring volume; ounces and pounds for measuring weight. Fahrenheit is used for temperature.
The metric system uses nanometer (nm), micrometer (µm), millimeter (mm), centimeter (cm), meter (m), kilometer (km) (for measuring length, grams; gram, hectogram, kilogramme, tonne for measuring weight; and litre for volume and Celsius for measuring temperature
What is it that led many countries to adopt metrication? Some analysts think that metrication in Africa coincided with the commencement of British metrification. They theorise that metrication was part of the decolonisation process. Also, metrication involves decimalisation that is preferable to use of fractions.
Since 1955, the Indian Parliament brought about a process of metrication that over time, outlawed the use of pre-metric measurement, metricised, reissued all government publications and laws and changed education systems to metric.
Metric units have been taught in UK schools since the late 1960s (and exclusively since 1974), and certain industries also converted or largely converted decades ago.
Non-metric quantities are still legal so long as their metric equivalents appear first on the label (e.g. pints of milk, ground coffee in pound packs). The transition to metric sales of loose products is already taking place.
The European Union (EU) declared more than a decade ago the metric system as the official measurement system of all member countries. The main effects of the EU Directives were to mandate the use of metric units for all pre-packed goods and for bulk goods.
The use of the metric system has been sanctioned by law in the US since 1866. However, it has been slow in displacing the British Imperial System known as the US Customary System.However, the medical and scientific communities use metric measurements exclusively (including for nutritional information of consumer goods and drugs), and there is increasing acceptance in many other sectors of industry.
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act is a US law that applies to labels on many consumer products that are eaten, used for personal care, or used within the household. It requires the label to state the identity of the product; the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; and the net quantity of contents.
The contents statement must include both metric and inch/pound units, although a proposed amendment would make inch/pound units optional, thus allowing metric only, as well as dual units.
The process towards metrication is said to be evolutionary. Even where legal processes have been enacted, people use the old systems in their ways of thinking. In Ghana where one might think we have new cedis, people still understand measurement on old cedis.
We might even only label with metric units only or dual units of measurement. We receive TV channels that give weather forecast in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Filling stations sell fuel by the litre or cash amounts. Many cars have their speedometers (or odometers) both in metric and imperial measures. Locally produced soft drinks (the Cokes, Pepsis, etc.) and beverages (Club, Star and Guinness beers, etc) and other alcoholic drinks are labeled with metric measurements. This makes for standards, as well as international trade.
Metrification or metrication involves much thought, planning and effort, as well as community participation. It involves many programmes and activities.
It also involves other fields, including international aviation, precision engineering, real estate advertising and advertising of goods such as furniture and kitchen utensils.
Advertisement