Traders asked to support G-CAP regime to check importation of sub-standard products

A Consultant in Trade facilitation, John Smith, says the Ghana Conformity Assessment Program (G-CAP) would be beneficial to traders.

He has therefore urged Traders Associations not to panic about the program as it will protect their interests.

Speaking to radio Ghana, Mr Smith urged the various trade associations to rather engage the Ghana Standard Authority to understand the operational modalities of the program to better educate their members on their roles.

The G-Cap program is meant to prevent the importation of unsafe, sub-standard and counterfeit goods into Ghana.

The Program aims to protect consumer health and safety, safeguard local producers from unfair competition and reduce the risk that the domestic market becomes the dumping ground for nonconforming products.

A former Director General of the Ghana Health Service Professor Agyeman Badu-Akosa, said the program would help check the dumping of sub-standard drugs and health products onto the Market.

He said countries like Nigeria who have started implementation of such conformity programs have started reaping the benefits.

The President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, George Ofori said although the Association is not in disagreement with the need to ensure that goods imported into the country are of a higher standard, there must be proper and consistent guidelines.

GBC