The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has started providing technical support to Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and companies producing for exports in Ghana.
The support to the private sector by the Trade Capacity Building Programme for Ghana, a project implemented by UNIDO with funds from SECO, is offering technical assistance to private enterprises in the cocoa, fish, fruit and wood value chains to implement relevant quality management systems to facilitate trade, both locally and internationally.
Some companies have already signed on while the project team has also met with the successful applicants to establish modalities for implementation.
Project Coordinator, Victor Mills, informed participants that the project will provide experts tasked with helping the companies to design and implement quality management and food safety systems in accordance to the requirements of the international standards.
“We have already trained experts who will assist selected companies and pay them till you get the international standards,” he said.
Mr. Mills noted that the project aimed at improving the country’s sustainable value chains for exports has for the past three years upgraded national inspection bodies to a point where they are ready for accreditation to international standards this year.
“Now is the turn to focus on the private sector since we have done so much with the public sector. We are not asking you to pay anything but just be committed to signing on the programme and be committed to getting the desired results,” he added.
Companies will be assisted to implement relevant quality management systems and marketing standards in ISO 9001, FSC Control Wood or Chain of Custody Standards, Food Safety Standards such as HACCP, ISO 22000 and IFS.
Representatives from about 30 companies were present at the meeting.
This support to the private sector will help selected SMEs and companies to obtain food safety and management system certification funded by the TCB programme.
The support is line with UNIDO’s mission of helping Ghana’s private sector in creating jobs and wealth by providing technical access to resources and support services through certification, inspection, accreditation and standardization in order to boost private sector competitiveness.
UNIDO has since 2007 been implementing the Trade Capacity Building Programme funded by the Switzerland Government through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).
A business desk report