GSA approves new standards for vehicle parts, systems

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has approved 26 national standards for vehicle parts and systems to regulate the automobile industry with effect from next year.

The authority was assigned the responsibility in line with its statutory mandate to develop national standards for the automobile industry.

The standards comprise 22 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) standards for vehicle parts and systems, and a four draft compulsory vehicle specifications, including specifications for M1 category of vehicle (passenger vehicles with not more than eight seats), M2 category (passenger vehicles with more than eight seats) and N1 category (vehicles for the carriage of goods).

This was disclosed at a stakeholders meeting organised by the authority in Accra to brief the industry players about the new development.

Development process

The Director General of the GSA, Prof. Alex Dodoo, explained that the process went through various stages over a 60-day period.

He added that it was also uploaded onto the GSA website for public review and during that same period, the World Trade Organisation was notified of the draft homologation and the compulsory standards which had been adopted.

“These standards will regulate both new and imported vehicles, ones assembled in the country and used vehicles. This will strengthen and advance the industry and promote the progress of the country,” he said.

Other initiative

Prof. Dodoo said they were also going to introduce a micro marking at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) which would be scribed on all registered vehicles in the administrative process for certification, adding that “this will help detect stolen vehicle parts and in the long run help reduce vehicle theft in the country.”

Present at the meeting were some key players, including representatives from the DVLA, the National Road Safety Commission, Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate.

There were also some representatives from some major original equipment manufacturers such as Volksawagen, Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Kantanka and others who have expressed interest in setting up assembly plants in the country.

Benefits

The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr Michael Opoku, commended the GSA for its role in developing the standard, stressing that it would change the face of the transport sector in the country.