Why Accredit ?
In a world that is making great strides towards globalization, the free movement of goods, people and services has become indispensable. However, the removal of trade barriers must necessarily be based on the certainty that the products and services traded meet the specific requirements. Consumers demand confidence in the quality of products and services, their primary concern being health and safety, and want to live in an environment that is safe and secure. Companies need assurance that conformity attestations (test/calibration/inspection reports, certificates and similar documents) on which their business is based are reliable.
Regulatory agencies must be assured that assessments of compliance with regulatory requirements are carried out effectively and with all required competencies. In this context, it is essential to promote the trust of economic actors as well as the authorities in charge of market control with regard to documents issued by conformity assessment bodies (laboratories, inspection, certification, verification and validation bodies). These documents thus become true technical passports associated with a product or a service.
Accreditation promotes competitiveness
Accreditation to international standards means that the tests, certifications and inspections are recognized at the international level, which reinforces the competitiveness of Ghanaian companies.
Accreditation fosters trade
Accreditation to international standards means that the reports and certificates accompanying exported goods are more readily accepted internationally. This cuts out duplicate testing procedures on each side of the border, reducing costs and saving transit time.
Accreditation promotes health and safety
Accreditation to international standards means living up to the highest standards. Quality issues should be detected before the goods and services reach the market, hence protecting the health and safety of the consumers as well as protecting the environment.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
GhaNAS is working towards having its accreditations recognized in many countries around the World. This recognition will allow Ghanaian companies to sell their goods and services more easily on the international market. Making your way into foreign markets is often a challenge. In addition to competition from local companies, duties and tariffs, there are technical barriers that require products to meet certain standards, generally associated with safety features, environmental protection and quality. They are known as Technical Barriers to Trade.
Using the services of accredited conformity assessment bodies, allows exporting companies to overcome these obstacles. For example, having goods certified by an accredited CAB before export, means that the goods do not require re-testing in the destination country.
International recognition occurs through the mechanism of Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) and Multilateral Arrangements (MLAs). These agreements act as an internationally recognized “stamp of approval” that demonstrates reliability of test results and compliance against agreed standards and requirements.
The international recognition agreements are managed by ILAC, IAF and AFRAC. GhaNAS will become a signatory of all of them. These international agreements enhance the acceptance of products and services across national borders. Duplication is minimized as test and calibration data included in submissions for product approvals can be evaluated without re-testing. By removing the need for additional calibration, testing, and/or inspection of imports and exports, technical barriers to trade are reduced.