Withdraw new directive on imports— Food & Beverage Association
Members of the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana have kicked against the implementation of the Ghana Conformity Assessment Programme (G-CAP) by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
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They described it as a duplication of the current product conformity assessment (PCA) under the destination inspection regime.
They also contended that G-CAP was only a business module developed by the inspection companies to make money from the business community.
“We believe in quality, honest trade practices and the protection of consumers and local producers but we are totally against the G-CAP as presented by the GSA,” Mr John Awuni, an executive member of the association, said.
He was speaking on behalf of the members at a forum in Accra yesterday to discuss the impact of the implementation of the G-CAP on the country.
Present at the forum were some members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), the Ghana Automobile Dealers Association (GADA) and the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF).
Others were the Ghana Shippers Council (GSC), the Ghana Pharmaceutical Chamber of Commerce (GPCC), the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF) and the Ghana Importers and Exporters Association (GIEA).
GCAP
The Ghana Conformity Assessment Programme (G-CAP), which will run concurrently with the existing pre-shipment regime, directs that all imports into the country must be tested and certified at the point of origin before shipment can be effected.
The programme, when implemented, will apply to both small and large-scale shippers of some selected products which include consumables, electronic products and building materials.
However, following concerns raised by some stakeholders, the programme which was due to take effect on October 1, 2014 was indefinitely suspended.
Association’s stance
Stating why the association was against the implementation of the programme, Mr Awuni said, among others, that if allowed, G-CAP would amount to condoning fraud in the light of GSA’s own mandate and laid down procedures for importation of goods.
He made reference to a handbook published by the GSA on the inspection of high risk goods and said since it had not expired, it remained relevant for protecting the market against dumping and importation of unsafe, shoddy and counterfeit products.
Mr Awuni, therefore, recommended that the G-CAP, though suspended, should be cancelled, adding, “We must continue with the destination inspection regime whether under the DICs or Customs.”
He said the GSA should collaborate with other state agencies to improve on post-market surveillance and enforce its laws.