EU supports Ghana with laboratory equipment

The European Union (EU), under its Trade Related Assistance and Quality Enabling Programme (TRAQUE), has equipped 28 public laboratories in Ghana with various equipment totaling 5.9 million euros to help improve quality of goods and services.   

The TRAQUE, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, was introduced by the EU in 2011 to support Ghana in strengthening its state laboratories to improve quality in industrial activities, food processing and standardisation.   

It would also ensure that goods and products produced in Ghana are of international standard and are competitive.   

State institutions that are benefitting from the TRAQUE initiative include the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Export Promotion Council, Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD), Food Research Institute of CSIR, among others.       

Whilst some of the labs were renovated and equipped with modern testing and calibration (Measurement of Science) equipment, others were only equipped with modern instruments and the latest software.    

Personnel of various labs were also trained on how to operate the modern equipment.      

Addressing personnel of the GSA at a training on calibration on Friday, Mr Christian Peters, Head of Economic and Trade Section at the EU, said TRAQUE had a value of 15 million euros and it is supposed to end in 2017.  

The calibration allows the verification of services for weights, measures, weighing and measuring instruments in various sectors including mining and construction, trades and commerce, the manufacturing industry, health, agriculture, petroleum, aviation and scientific research.   

He said aside helping build Ghana’s quality infrastructure in trade, TRAQUE, is helping Ghana to develop a National Quality Policy that would help guide the standardization process.    

Mr Peters said he was happy that over 80 per cent of all the equipment given to the various labs had been installed and were operational, saying there was the need to create synergies to increase manufacturing in Ghana.   

Ms Hannah Elizabeth Adetola, Deputy Executive Director of GSA, said TRAQUE had helped the Authority to equip some of its critical labs for effective testing and measurement activities, all in the bid to promote quality goods and services to the public and in the international area.   

Mr Robert Baffuor Tandoh, Director of Standards, Ministry of Trade, said without the ability to determine the length, mass, volume, time and temperature; even the simplest transaction, will be opened to abuse and fair trade would be impossible.   

He, therefore, commended EU for introducing TRAQUE to help Ghana standardise its goods and services to conform to international standards.   

He said the final draft of the National Quality Policy is now ready and would be taken for validation in January 2016 to allow MDAs and other private companies as well as private labs to make their comment before it is finally approved