Africa-Press – Ghana. The Ghana Standards Authority has commissioned over 300 Trading Standards Inspectors (TSIs) in the country’s efforts to ensure fair trading practices and consumer protection.
The newly-trained TSIs, the third cohort, will carry out a wide range of crucial activities, including checking the quality, accuracy, and safety of goods and services on the market; verifying volumes and weights to prevent deception; collecting samples for laboratory testing; identifying non-compliant products and traders and taking appropriate enforcement actions.
They will also gather evidence and testify in court; undertake undercover investigations where necessary; provide public education and sensitisation; and receive and address consumer complaints.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, said the TSIs would play a critical role in ensuring sufficient consumer protection and checking the quality of goods and services on the market.
The inspectors, who will be deployed nationwide, are mandated to enforce the Ghana Standards Authority Act 2022 (Act 1078).
She said the move formed part of the government’s effort to ensure accurate measurements, uphold quality control, and support economic growth in line with the 24-hour economy.
“A 24-hour economy demands a robust framework that supports reliable trade activities and the TSIs have a significant role in contributing to the realisation of this vision by the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama,” the Minister said.
“By carefully inspecting products and services, the TSIs help to maintain high
standards of quality of goods and safety of consumers, which is important for building consumer trust and confidence, which are essential for a thriving 24-hour economy,” she added.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare urged the TSIs to carry out their work with integrity while calling for continued support for the efforts of the inspectors and recognise the important role they play in our quest for a 24-hour economy.
Mr Clifford Frimpong, Acting Deputy Director General, GSA, said the ceremony stood as a testament to the inspectors commitment, discipline, and readiness to uphold the standards that safeguard consumers, promote fair trade, and support national development.
He praised the meaningful contributions of the first two cohorts of inspectors in advancing the mandate of the GSA.
He said the officers had been inspecting weighing and measuring instruments at the marketplaces, protecting both consumers and businesses and through surprise inspections and educational campaigns, they had helped reduce the circulation of substandard goods and unfair trade practices.
Mr Frimpong said the inspectors activities had contributed to greater awareness and compliance among market players, boosting confidence in the quality of goods and services across the country.
“Thanks to their efforts, and in collaboration with existing GSA regional offices and staff, the 1st and 2nd cohorts have significantly strengthened our presence across all regions of Ghana,” he said.
“By integrating into these regional teams, they have enhanced our capacity to conduct market surveillance, enforce standards, and respond swiftly to emerging issues. Their support has amplified the effectiveness of our regional operations, ensuring that GSA’s mandate is carried out more efficiently and thoroughly throughout the country,” Mr Frimpong added.
He urged the newly-commissioned TSIs to be defenders of quality, accuracy, and fairness in trade.
“Ghana is counting on you to maintain and elevate the standards set by your predecessors. You represent not just the Authority, but the hopes of consumers, the trust of traders, and the integrity of our economy,” he added.
Mrs Jessica Nkansah, Director Inspectorate GSA, said the Trading Standards Inspectorate was created to ensure a robust system that protects consumers, ensures fair trade, and upholds the standards that safeguard public health, safety, and confidence in our markets.
She said Trading Standards Inspectors, or TSIs, were specially trained enforcement officers licensed by the Ghana Standards Authority with a clear mandate to verify the conformity of goods, services, and processes to relevant Mandatory Standards and other applicable standards.
This mandate stems directly from the Ghana Standards Authority Act, 2022 (Act 1078).
“The TSIs have been created to level the playing field to reward integrity and compliance, and to protect the interests of consumers and responsible traders alike,” she said.
Mrs Nkansah said the inspectors would serve as both watchdogs and educators, working not just to enforce, but also to inform.
She said while the inspectors were authorised to collect articles for testing, they must always issue receipts and were strictly prohibited from collecting money directly from traders.
Any administrative penalties must be paid directly to the Ghana Standards Authority through approved government payment channels, she said.
Mrs Nkansah urged all citizens to report any instances of blackmail, bribery, or unfair treatment, adding that the GSA was committed to building an effective and transparent system.
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