The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) on Thursday hosted a two-day workshop aimed at helping African calibration laboratories to improve upon their performances to provide better calibration services to their clients.
Calibration, which deals with issues of mass, temperature and pressure, ensures that reliable measurements formed an important basis for quality production, distribution and fair trade in every economy.
Mrs. Kistina Biritwum, Acting Executive Director, GSB, in her welcoming address said the workshop was a follow-up by the Deutscher Kalibrierdienst (DKD), an accreditation body for calibration laboratories, which granted the Board's Metrological laboratory accreditation after a thorough inspection a year ago.
She said calibration experts from Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia were participating in the workshop which would enable them exchange ideas and ensure closer collaboration between with DKD and other African experts.
She said the knowledge gained, would ensure that African laboratories performed calibrations with the same level of confidence and efficiency as was in the case with German laboratories.
Mrs. Biritwum said the accreditation by DKD was an important step to increase acceptance of the GSB's calibration services and that certificates issued by the Board were now acceptable worldwide and also enjoyed excellent reputation when it came to accuracy in measurement.
She emphasized that reliable measurement was crucial to every economy to ensure fairness in trade and therefore measuring instruments had to be calibrated in laboratories to ensure uniformity.
"Accuracy in measurements does not only ensure fairness in trade, but also enhances trading activities in and outside a country," she said.
She explained that the GSB's Metrological laboratory from time to time undertook updates in its management systems, applied calibration procedures, sustainability of equipment and appropriate environmental conditions inside the laboratories.
"The GSB with the current DKD accreditations and other mandates also undertakes occasional inspection of measuring equipments of industries and organizations and award there with certificates to ensure fair trade," she said.
Mrs. Biritwum said information exchange between accredited laboratories on one hand and an accreditation body on the other with regard to new developments in measurement techniques was therefore vital, since it helped in the harmonization and optimization of calibration methods.
She urged the participants to put in their best to make maximum use of the knowledge to enable them to perform better in the provision of calibration services.
Ms. Harriet Ludwig, German Consoler, said German had been cooperating with African countries to ensure accuracy in measurements to enhance fair trade both within and internationally.
She stressed that, though the work of calibrating officers were not popular they played a very important role towards the elimination of unfair trading activities and ensure the maximization of economic gains as well as development of a nation.
Ms. Ludwig said the DKD workshops were therefore a response to the specific needs of calibrating laboratories.
Mr. Paul Date, Head of the Scientific Metrology Department, GSB, called for intensified consumer education on the benefits of appreciating measurements for fair trade.
He said if the accurate measurement system of trade was adopted, local consumers would not only benefit, but the system would make it easier for exporters to compete favourably with the international community.
He said currently Ghana's pineapple exporters were facing serious challenges due to poor calibration services offered them by their agents and said the GSB had plans to embark on a check search to ensure that all the agencies adhered to the standards.