Apply standards to production of local goods — Women advised
Ghana has marked the African Standardisation Day with a call on all entrepreneurs, particularly women, to apply standards to the production of local goods and services to enhance their businesses.
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According to the Ghana Standards Authority ( GSA), which organised the national celebration, the application of standards to the production of local goods and services will make made-in-Ghana and Africa goods very competitive on the world market.
The day was also used to promote the application of standardisation in businesses to empower women in their economic ventures.
The regional celebration was held on the theme: “The Role of standardisation in women’s empowerment.”
Raising awareness
The celebration was a platform to raise awareness among African regulators, those in industry, academia, consumers and the entire African citizenry, on the benefits of standardisation on the African economy.
The Day was instituted to commemorate the birth and foundation of African Regional Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) currently the African Organisation for Standardisation, by the African Union (formerly Organisation of African Unity) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
It is also used to celebrate the commitment of the founding fathers and the 21 African governments represented at the ARSO launching conference in 1977, at the Ghana International Conference Centre, to push for the Standardisation and Conformity Assessment Agenda in Africa,to promote sustainable development in Africa.
Local celebration
In her welcome address in Accra on Friday, the Head of Standards Development at the GSA, Mrs Prudence Asamoah-Bonti, said the application of standards helped to implement appropriate trade regimes for cross-border trade and promotes consistency and harmonisation of quality standards for goods and services produced in the sub-region.
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That, she said, would make goods made in Ghana and Africa very competitive on the world market, thereby boosting the African economies.
Empowering women
On the role of standardisation in empowering women, Mrs Asamoah-Bonti said in most African countries, women were either the breadwinners or major contributors to the upkeep of the family and, therefore, the African Union sought all possible means to empower them.
“As a result, it has identified the compliance with standards in business by women as a major tool for their empowerment and, therefore, the GSA is also collaborating with women in business to enhance their businesses,” she added.
In his remarks, the Head of Communications, GSA, Mr Amponsah Bediako, said standards ensured that products and services were safe, reliable and were of good quality.
“For business, they are a strategic tool that reduces costs by minimising waste and errors, and increasing productivity. They help companies to access new markets, level the playing field for developing countries and facilitate free and fair global trade,” he said.
Testimonies
Some women entrepreneurs who attended the ceremony including, the Managing Director of Florence Fashion, Ms Florence Ankrah, the Managing Director of Joecarl Enterprise Limited, Mrs Carlotta Emefa Aryee and the Group Chairman for Reroy, an electrical company, Mrs Kate Quartey Papafio, gave their testimonies as to how they had applied standards to their businesses through their collaboration with the GSA.
Ms Ankrah said since she started adhering to standards in the production of made-in-Ghana clothing, her brands had become internationally competitive and acceptable and “my business is doing very well; there is virtually no wastage of materials during production because I apply standards. I encourage all women entrepreneurs to collaborate with the GSA to enhance their businesses.”
Mrs Aryee, a pepper sauce (shito) producer and exporter, said her product became internationally competitive only after she began to apply standards based on the guidance of the GSA.
“When I started the process of how to apply standards at the GSA, the cost and product modification advice given by the authority concerning my shito, nearly discouraged me, but officials of the GSA encouraged me on the benefits I stood to gain so I continued,” she said.
“Today other players in the ‘shito’ industry are wondering why my product was of a good quality and had a longer life span as compared to others on the local and international market,” she said.
Writers email: doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh