SMEs in Ghana urged to use global standards to expand trade under AfCFTA
Director–General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Prof Alex Dodoo, has urged Ghanaian Small and Medium Enterprises to utilise global standards and tools to expand trade across Africa under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
He said with Ghana hosting the AfCFTA, it was time the SMEs exploited the opportunity to boost trade on the continent and beyond.
Professor Dodoo was speaking on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of GS1 Ghana, which manages barcode systems used by retailers, suppliers and partners in Ghana. It is an affiliate of GS1 Global.
Prof Dodoo noted that Ghana Standards Authority was already leading the way and giving guidance as needed, adding with international standards and internationally standardised means of identification, Ghanaian goods and services would sell widely.
“I am pleased to announce that the GSA and GS1 Ghana will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding this year and will seek closer collaboration,” Prof Dodoo said.
He announced that Ghana’s Pharmaceutical Traceability Strategy would leverage GS1 barcodes and QR codes.
He urged GS1 Ghana, to train and help the teeming youths to create solutions that “will benefit them and benefit our country.”
Prof Dodoo said, “I am certain that GS1 Ghana can provide potential tools for some of our young men and women to use to create solutions We should explore this actively as we seek to create wealth and jobs in the current global economy which is knowledge-based.”
The Board Chairman of GS1 Ghana, Mr Kofi Manso Essuman, said the organisation had positively impacted many companies by facilitating retail acceptance of products both locally and for export and organising training and awareness programmes for Small and Medium-Sized enterprises (SMEs) while providing Global Location Numbers to many companies.
“We have also been Helping supermarkets to improve efficiency, accurate pricing, inventory control & customer satisfaction while supporting traceability processes for cocoa buying companies,” he added.
Source: GNA