The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has said that the Ghana Digital Conformity Mark will be adopted as a national standard to promote product safety, regulatory compliance, and industrial competitiveness.She said the initiative, starting with electrical cables, will empower consumers, enhance regulatory enforcement, and help eliminate unfair competition from counterfeit and substandard goods.In a speech read on her behalf, at the launch of the pilot phase of the Ghana Digital Conformity Mark Project in Accra yesterday, Mrs Agyare described the initiative as a critical step towards securing Ghana's industrial future through innovation.
She said, "This is about saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and preserving Ghana's reputation on the global stage."The system, known as the Product Authentication and Traceability System (PATS), will help protect consumers confirm product legitimacy before purchase.Mrs Agyare, whose speech was read on her behalf by the Director of Industry of MOTAI, added that beyond consumer protection, the system will support genuine manufacturers and reduce the presence of unapproved imports. "Industries will thrive in a fairer marketplace, free from the burden of counterfeit and substandard competition," she said.She applauded the six local manufacturers participating in the pilot and urged others to come on board, describing their early adoption as a strong commitment to industry integrity.She reaffirmed government support for the initiative and said her Ministry would work with GSA and its partners to scale the project nationally and extend it to other product categories.Mr Clifford Frimpong, Deputy Director for Conformity Assessment at the GSA, in his remarks, said the initiative will strengthen consumer protection, enforce national standards, and improve surveillance by making it easier to detect and eliminate non-compliant products.He explained that the system uses security-coded stickers affixed to certified electrical products.
When scanned, they reveal essential details such as the manufacturer's name, country of origin, and certification status, giving consumers, traders, and regulators a quick and reliable way to verify authenticity."This is not just a label; it's a tool to protect lives and ensure only quality-assured products are sold in Ghana.
It will expose unapproved goods and make it harder for counterfeits to survive."He added that the three-month pilot begins with six Ghanaian manufacturers - Tropical Cable and Conductor Limited, Nexans Kabelmetal Ghana Limited, African Diamond Cable Limited, Reroy Cable and Manufacturers Limited, Fenice Metal Technology Limited, and Focus Technology Limited - and will be gradually expanded.
