Avoid substandard measuring instruments in trading - Local traders urged
Local traders have been advised to use trading instruments that comply with the standard requirements to ensure fair trade and enhanced customer confidence in the Ghanaian market system.
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They were consequently advised to avoid substandard measuring instruments in trading transactions in order to develop the Ghanaian trading system to strengthen the economy.
The Assistant Officer of the Metrology Directorate of Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Horla Macarthy, in a presentation, said traders could submit their trading instruments for verification for maximum permissible error and measuring tolerances in general.
He added that since verification activity was done twice a year, traders could purchase a calibrated standard weight to do intermediate checks of their trading instruments.
Mr Macarthy, therefore, entreated traders to ensure regular maintenance of trading instruments to avoid inaccuracies in the use of such instruments.
He explained that measuring in the imperial system was prohibited, and that measurements were only to be done in the metric system when trading with mass goods in the country.
Training
Mr Macarthy was addressing butchers at the Kaneshie Market Complex in Accra after they underwent a week’s training in trading standards in weights and the benefits of meat consumption.
The training sensitised butchers to meat hygiene, personal hygiene, meat processing, meat equipment and new facility management.
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It was organised by the VGOLY Company Limited, a meat processing company, and funded by the Ghana skills Development to enable the traders to understand verification of weights and measures used for trading.
Offence and penalty
Mr Macarthy said any person whose action amounted to fraud in the use of trading instrument committed an offence and would be held liable on summary of conviction.
He added that the person would be convicted and liable for a fine of not less than1,500 penalty units and not more than 3,000 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than four years.
Rationale
The Chief Executive Officer of VGOLY Company Limited, Dom Bimpeh, said the training had equipped butchers with an additional value skills and would also bring positive impact to the meat industry.
He thanked the organisers for the insightful training and said, “the training has enlightened us against substandard measuring instruments in the country.”
He said his outfit would provide participants with the needed resources including boots, gloves to ensure the maintenance of hygiene and added that: “we would extend the training to other butchers in our market places.”
The Chairman of the Kaneshie Butchers Association, Mohammed Abdual Karim, said his outfit would ensure a uniform system of units of weights and measures were established.
Sanitation
The Sanitation Manager of Kaneshie Market Complex, Paola Delle, expressed the hope that the butchers would adhere to the right measurements in their business.
She expressed the hope that it would attract customers and boost their business and reiterated that, “if you use the right measurement, you earn the trust of the customers because they know they get the right quantity of meat worth the amount they are paying for.”