GSA Hosts Awareness Workshop on Implementation of Harmonised African Standards for Cotton, Textiles, Leather and Fashion in Ghana

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry (MoTAI), African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and Eco Mark Africa (EMA), is hosting a two-day awareness workshop on the implementation of harmonised African sustainability standards for cotton, textile, leather and fashion in Ghana, from September 9-10, 2026. The workshop is a key step towards promoting sustainable, competitive, and globally compliant value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Dignitaries that graced the workshop included the Deputy Minister of MoTAI, the Hon. Samson Ahi, and the Secretary General of ARSO, Dr. Hermogène Nsengimana. The Director of Standards at the GSA, Mrs. Alice Donya, on behalf of the Director-General, welcomed the participants to the workshop and explained the importance of the gathering which is to equip the key sector players with knowledge about harmonised African Standards and how they can work for them. The ARSO Secretary General, Dr. Hermogène Nsengimana, in his opening speech, stressed on the need of having a targeted approach in developing standards. He highlighted the need to have standards that work for key priority sectors of the economy, pointing out sectors such as agro-processing, textile and leather and automotive industries which are key for economic growth. He further emphasised the need for sustainability practices in today’s international market, encouraging textile and leather industries in Ghana to leverage the available support to help the private sectors capitalise on the African Standards. The Hon. Sampson Ahi, commended the GSA and ARSO for their roles in making sure standards are adhered to and also for bringing this conversation to Ghana. He recognised the huge potential that the African textile market possesses and urged the stakeholders to leverage the opportunity to have a clear implementation plan of meeting the requirements of the African Sustainability Standards to ensure that no one is left behind. “The government of Ghana is committed to reviving and further strengthening Ghana’s cotton and textile industry through standards harmonisation, lowering tariffs and investing in innovation. The ministry stands ready to collaborate with GSA and ARSO to ensure that these standards translate into investment and growth of Ghanaian businesses,” he added. He further charged the GSA to lead with technical excellence in promoting the standards and work with industries to identify barriers to solve them.