Parliament Passes Standards Authority Bill

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Parliament has passed the 2022 into law to empower the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to deliver on its mandate.

The law also seeks to ratify and consolidate laws relating to standards, conformity assessment and metrology (the art of measurements), as well as provide for related matters.

After going through the third reading on the floor of Parliament, the bill was passed into law.

Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry moved the motion on behalf of Mr Alan Kyerematen, the Minister for Trade and industry.

It was seconded by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the MP for Ellembelle.

Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, presiding over the proceeding took a voice vote for the passage of the bill into law by Parliament.

The Ghana Standards Authority Act, 2022, establishes the GSA as the authority responsible for the establishment and promulgation of standards, enforcement of conformity assessment programmes and regulation activities in respect of weights and measurements in the country.

It also seeks to amend the law relating to standardisation, conformity assessment and metrology, as well as consolidate all laws relating to those areas.

The GSA Act also establishes the GSA as a corporate body for the performance of the functions of authority under the act.

It gives the authority the power to establish laboratories and other facilities to promote research about standardisation, undertake and encourage educational work in connection with standardisation, collect and disseminate information concerning standardisation and develop and maintain a collection of library materials and a museum collection relating to standardisation and allied materials.

Mr Baafi, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaben South in his address later in Parliament said the law would consolidate three acts – the Standards Authority Act, 1973 (N.R.C.D. 173), the Weights and Measures Act, 1975 (N.R.C.D. 326) and the Laws of Ghana (Revised Edition) Act, 1998 (Act 567)- into one law.

That, he said, would empower the GSA to undertake its duties effectively in the areas of conformity assessment and metrology and ensure that standards were adhered to in the country.

Mr Baafi described it as a good law that would enhance the capacity of the GSA and broaden its horizon to enable it to deliver on its mandate.

Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Efutu, thanked the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry for the urgency attached to the bill and the technical committee for a good job done and expressed the hope that the law would go a long way to help the economy

By: GNA