GSA commends certified businesses, urges others to regularize compliance ahead of Christmas

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has issued a dual message to the Ashanti business community, praising compliant firms for upholding consumer safety while issuing a stern ultimatum to defaulting companies to settle penalties before the upcoming Christmas trading surge.

Commendation;

Companies that successfully completed the GSA Product Certification Process were commended for protecting consumers and adhering to national quality benchmarks.

Grace Period:

Businesses recently served with penalty notices have been given a final window to resolve their compliance issues before deadlines lapse.

Public Naming Warning:

Failure to engage the Authority within the stipulated timeframe will lead to the public exposure of non-compliant brands.

Holiday Enforcement Drive:

Market monitoring will intensify across the Ashanti Region ahead of the end-of-year festivities.

Role of GSA:

The Ghana Standards Authority operates as the national standards body responsible for establishing, maintaining, and enforcing quality standards across food, beverage, healthcare, and manufactured goods.

Certification by the GSA signals that a product has undergone laboratory testing, quality control audits, and risk assessments to ensure it is safe for public consumption and competitive in international markets.

Impending Sanctions:

In a media statement released by the GSA Kumasi Office, officials emphasized a collaborative approach over immediate punitive action.

The Authority revealed it has deliberately withheld the identities of defaulted companies to give them an opportunity to regularize their status without harming their brand reputation.

Admonition:

The GSA urged uncertified businesses operating in both food and non-food sectors to visit the Kumasi regional office for guidance on obtaining proper documentation.

Early regularisation, the Authority noted, prevents costly business disruptions during high-volume sales periods like Christmas.

Consumer Advisory;

Alongside its directive to manufacturers, the GSA appealed to the general public to look for official certification marks when purchasing goods in the market to safeguard their health and ensure value for money.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/ Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.