The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has called on government, industry, academia, and development partners to make standards a central pillar of Ghana’s national development strategy, stressing that quality and safety are the foundations of sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
The call was made during the celebration of World Standards Day 2025, marked globally on October 14, under the theme “Shared Vision for a Better World Standards for Sustainable Development.” The day recognizes the indispensable role of standards in ensuring safety, driving innovation, facilitating trade, and protecting consumers.
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Board Chairman of GSA, Mr. Hudu Mogtari, said standards were not just technical tools but “strategic instruments for national transformation.”
“They determine how safe our food is, how reliable our infrastructure becomes, how competitive our exports remain, and how inclusive and sustainable our economic growth can be,” he said.
He explained that by developing and enforcing both national and international standards, the GSA ensures that Ghanaian products from electrical cables and cement to textiles and agribusiness exports meet the quality benchmarks required for global market access.
He highlighted the importance of standardization to Ghana’s economic ambitions, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Ghana cannot achieve the goals of the AfCFTA without robust and harmonized standards. Standardization reduces trade barriers, lowers production costs, and strengthens consumer confidence in cross-border commerce,” he said.
He added that the GSA’s work in food safety standards including ISO 22000 certification and regulation of aflatoxin levels in grains and nuts has opened new export opportunities for farmers and processors, while protecting consumers at home.
“By supporting local manufacturers with conformity assessment standards, metrology, and accreditation services, GSA ensures that the Made-in-Ghana label becomes synonymous with quality, reliability, and safety,” he emphasized.
The Director-General of GSA, Professor George Agyei, in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Clifford Frimpong, Deputy Director-General, stressed that standards foster a shared understanding and form the foundation of partnerships that drive sustainable development.
“At the heart of Sustainable Development Goal 17 is the belief that no single organization, nation, or sector can achieve the SDGs alone,” he said. “It requires partnerships between governments and the private sector, between regulators and innovators, and between nations and communities.”
He noted that GSA has deepened collaborations with international and regional bodies, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the European Union, and local universities to strengthen Ghana’s quality infrastructure.
These partnerships have expanded GSA’s laboratory testing capabilities, improved inspection systems, and enhanced certification processes, bolstering Ghana’s competitiveness under AfCFTA.
The Trade Ministry reaffirmed government’s continued commitment to modernizing GSA’s laboratory facilities and aligning Ghana’s standards regime with global best practices.
“We will promote harmonization of Ghana standards with international benchmarks and empower the GSA with the resources and policies needed to sustain its mandate as a strategic driver of the national reset agenda,” he pledged.
He urged manufacturers and industry players to invest in testing and compliance, and called on consumers to demand quality products, noting that “consumer choice is a powerful driver of change.”
The event featured goodwill messages from partner institutions and the presentation of awards to winners of the 2024/2025 ARSO Essay Competition, reinforcing the role of youth and innovation in advancing the culture of quality.
The GSA emphasized that integrating standards into every layer of national development from production to trade is essential for Ghana to compete confidently on the continental and global stage.
