The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) have reached an agreement to sustain the implementation of the Ghana EasyPass Programme following discussions to address concerns raised by the traders’ body.
The agreement was contained in a joint communiqué issued on Friday, July 10, after a high-level meeting involving the Director-General of the GSA, Prof. Alex Dodoo, and the President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng, at the GSA headquarters in Accra.
The meeting followed a petition submitted by GUTA to the Chief of Staff, with a copy to the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, expressing concerns about the programme’s implementation.
According to the communiqué, both parties held discussions in an atmosphere of mutual respect, transparency and collaboration and agreed on some measures to address the issues raised.
The GSA clarified that the Ghana EasyPass Programme is not a new policy or programme but has been in continuous operation for the past 10 years as an established conformity assessment scheme under the Ghana Standards Authority Act.
It explained that the recent introduction of a digital version of the EasyPass Programme does not constitute a new policy, law or regulatory requirement.
The Authority also reaffirmed that compliance with mandatory Ghana Standards is a legal requirement for all products placed on the Ghanaian market, irrespective of where they are manufactured. It said the EasyPass Programme is intended to help businesses demonstrate compliance with approved standards while improving consumer protection and market competitiveness.
The communiqué further clarified that participation in the programme is voluntary and that businesses that do not enrol can continue trading under existing conformity assessment arrangements.
The two institutions also agreed that the EasyPass Programme should not be interpreted as imposing new costs on manufacturers abroad or serving as a targeted measure against locally manufactured products. They explained that the initiative is intended to ensure fair competition and protect consumers from substandard goods.
The GSA acknowledged the concerns raised by GUTA and indicated that the issues outlined in the association’s July 7 petition had been satisfactorily addressed following the discussions.
Both parties pledged to maintain regular consultations and strengthen collaboration to ensure the effective implementation of the programme while safeguarding consumer protection, supporting business growth and promoting national development.
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