The Government of Ghana, as part of its transformational agenda has identified a functional National Quality Infrastructure consistent with international best practices as key in supporting industrialization toward accelerated economic growth. In view of Government programmes on rapid industrialization and promotion of increased export earnings, it is anticipated that the growth in the demand for Quality Infrastructure services, such as Accreditation, Conformity Assessment, Metrology and Standardization will outstrip the supply in the medium to long term if investments in the sector continues to be largely Government-led. There is therefore the need to have a National Quality Policy that streamlines the operations of actors in the National Quality Infrastructure space and at the same time crowd-in private sector investments to ensure that services provided remain affordable and competitive to enhance the competitiveness of made-in-Ghana goods and services.  This has been the international best practice as it frees up resources for the most critical compliance and enforcement activities which are the mandate of Government. The fundamental principle underlying the Policy is that the private sector is the engine of growth, with Government providing an enabling environment designed for the National Quality Infrastructure to thrive over the long term.  

Africa, through the adoption of Agenda 2063, is expected to show improved standards of living; transformed, inclusive and sustained economic growth and development through the implementation of the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This requires a functional NQI which provides an environment of trust, health and safety for both producers and consumers and drastically reduces technical barriers to trade. It is within this context that Ghana deems it opportune to develop a robust National Quality System that will ensure that the country contributes meaningfully to international trade. 

Key Provisions / Thematic Areas

• Metrology 
  Policy Objective: To increase the awareness of metrology and to establish a common metrological framework as one of the fundamental building blocks of the quality infrastructure.
  
  
• Standardization
  Policy objective: 
  To ensure that the standards development process continues to be an activity that depends on achieving consensus amongst stakeholders, in a participatory and transparent environment. 
  To develop and promote appropriate standards for new and emerging sectors for effective use by industry to improve productivity, quality and enhance competitiveness. 
  
  
• Accreditation 
  Policy Objective: To establish an internationally recognised accreditation body providing accreditation services in the sub-region within the next 5 years.
  
  
• Conformity assessment 
  Policy Objective:
  To ensure that conformity assessment services demonstrate the quality of products and services independently.  
  To ensure that conformity assessment services provision are transparent, non-discriminatory and avoid unnecessary barriers to trade.
  To create a level playing field to encourage the private sector to participate in conformity assessment (testing, calibration, inspection, verification and validation or certification) services.   
• Technical Regulations and Good Regulatory Practice 
   Policy Objective: 
  To develop a Technical Regulatory Framework with guidelines for the development, enforcement and monitoring of TRs to streamline the regulatory regime in the country.
  Policy Objective: To increase the awareness of metrology and to establish a common metrological framework as one of the fundamental building blocks of the quality infrastructure.
  
  
• Standardization
  Policy objective: 

To ensure that the standards development process continues to be an activity that depends on achieving consensus amongst stakeholders, in a participatory and transparent environment. 
To develop and promote appropriate standards for new and emerging sectors for effective use by industry to improve productivity, quality and enhance competitiveness. 

• Accreditation 

Policy Objective: To establish an internationally recognised accreditation body providing accreditation services in the sub-region within the next 5 years.

• Conformity assessment 

Policy Objective:
To ensure that conformity assessment services demonstrate the quality of products and services independently.  
To ensure that conformity assessment services provision are transparent, non-discriminatory and avoid unnecessary barriers to trade.
To create a level playing field to encourage the private sector to participate in conformity assessment (testing, calibration, inspection, verification and validation or certification) services.   

• Technical Regulations and Good Regulatory Practice 

 Policy Objective: 
To develop a Technical Regulatory Framework with guidelines for the development, enforcement and monitoring of TRs to streamline the regulatory regime in the country.

Comments

We invite you to kindly bring forth your much needed comments/inputs and recommendations in view of helping shape the Draft National Quality Policy into a robust document.

Key documents to download

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How to respond

This Consultation is Closed

Email to:

ppme@moti.gov.gh

Write to:

P.O. BOX MB 47, MINISTRIES, ACCRA-GHANA