By Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industries (MoTAI), in partnership with TradeMark Africa, has organised a five-day technical working session for regulatory agencies in the trade, agribusiness, and industries sector in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital. This was to develop a framework to promote safer food, stronger institutions, and more competitive Ghanaian exports.
In an interview with GBC News, the Director of Standards and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures at TradeMark Africa, Dr. Andrew Edewa from Kenya, urged importers and exporters to always uphold safety standards to promote good health, safety, and quality products.
Dr. Edewa stated that compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) is not just about avoiding rejections; it is about competitiveness, trust, and prosperity under AfCFTA and beyond. He advised traders, importers, and exporters to always uphold safety standards, protocols, and the practices of their regulatory bodies to promote good health, safety, and quality products.
The five-day technical working session brought together representatives from regulatory agencies in the trade, agribusiness, and industries sectors to help develop a National Sanitary and Phytosanitary Management and Technical Regulation Enforcement Strategy to reduce export rejections, streamline enforcement, promote health and safety, and protect the environment. Agencies present included the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the National Communications Authority (NCA), and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, as well as officers from the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industries.
The outcome of the session is expected to help position Ghana as a trusted trading partner, reduce non-tariff barriers, and strengthen the readiness of Ghanaian exporters for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and global markets.
