The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Chamber of Mines have developed quality standards for imported inputs used by the industry.
This has become necessary as some mining inputs, especially electrical cables among other inputs imported by suppliers are substandard which in turn has negative impacts on the operations of the mining companies.
Importantly, the long term development strategy of the Chamber is to resource local suppliers to concentrate on manufacturing the inputs needed by its members in Ghana instead of importing them.
But before that aspect is fully operationalized, the GSA and the Chamber are taking immediate steps aimed to ensure that the mining inputs that are imported by local suppliers meet the requisite quality standards set by the sector. Explaining this measure, the Chamber reiterates that should mining companies unknowingly purchase substandard inputs, this could have dire consequences on their operations and businesses.
In general terms, a well-controlled, regularised and standardised mining sector is expected to lead to increase in production, more job creation and revenue generation.
Briefing the Goldstreet Business, Director of External Relations and Communication of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ahmed Nantogmah said some companies are not interested in standardization as they usually import poor quality mining inputs such as cables and wellington boots from Asia and subsequently want the mining companies to buy.
“Mining is highly risky and expensive. You can’t work in the mining industry without standards. If a mining company buys [substandard] materials such as cables and it catches fire after wiring, what do you think will happen?”, he queried.
Background
It will be recalled that in November 2017, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance and strengthen technical cooperation in the fields of standardisation, metrology as well as conformity assessment. This measure aims to improve the exchange of information and expertise between GSA and the Chamber to promote safety and standards in the mining industry.
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