Trade Minister appoints Prof Alexander Nii Oto Dodoo as ‘Custodian of Weights and Measures’

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, has appointed the Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Professor Alexander Nii Oto Dodoo, as the ‘Custodian of Weights and Measures’ in Ghana.

The appointment, effective September 11, 2023, is in line with Section 60 of the Ghana Standards Authority Act, 2022 (Act 1078).

A statement issued by the Ministry, Thursday, said the Director-General, as the Custodian, ‘’is expected to appoint and deploy inspectors of Weights and Measures for the effective administration of weights and measure.’’

‘’As provided for under the Ghana Standards Authority Act, the inspectors, shall examine every weight, measure or instrument for trade and industry including health, safety and environment devices for the purpose of verification. They will also compare the weight, measure or instrument with the corresponding Working Standards,’’ it said.

According to the Ministry, the appointment will ensure that ‘’Ghana aligns with international standards in metrology (the science of weights and measurement), which is vital for international trade and collaboration, and establish Ghana as ‘’a reliable and compliant partner on the global stage’’.

‘’The Custodian, empowered by Section 62 of the Act, has the Power to enter premises and require the production and examination of the weight, measure or instrument in that place.

‘’The inspectors can seize the weight, measure or instrument for the purpose of comparing the seized weight, measure or instrument with a Working Standard.  It is an offence to obstruct an inspector in his line of duty,’’ the statement noted.

It added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority, would implement ‘’extensive engagements’’ with the business community and the trading public to create awareness about the importance of weights and measures and the impact they have on businesses and trade.

Mr Hammond, in the statement, again underscored his commitment to enhance fairness and accuracy in trade through the enforcement of standards in trade and commerce.

‘’Accurate measurements are fundamental to economic growth as they instill confidence in consumers’’ ensures that consumers receive what they pay for and that businesses operate on a level playing field,’’ he said.

Source: GNA