By Nse Anthony-Uko
(Sundiata Post) — Implementation of the ECOWAS Quality infrastructure policy received positive boost on Thursday as the Commission brought together critical stakeholders of its Community Committee for Conformity Assessment ECOCONF) to adopt the draft documents for the establishment of the ECOWAS regional product certification scheme, (ECOMark)
The two-day meeting of its committee for conformity assessment is taking place within the framework of the West Africa quality system programme implemented by UNIDO with funding from the European union.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Mr Mamadou Traore said the regional meeting is organised as part of the implementation of two main regulations adopted by the ECOWAS council of ministers in December 2013 in Abuja and in June 2017 in Monrovia, Liberia.
The scheme is being implemented by the community’s committee for conformity assessment of ECOWAS.
The European Union representative, Ms Nadia Cannata noted that with the of standards developed by ECOWAS and the growing number of manufacturing enterprise in the region, time has come to ensure that unsafe or non-compliant products do not find their way to ECOWAS market as exports from West Africa.
She said that though the region was there yet, progress has been made so far in ensuring that consumer confidence public authorities and manufacturers regarding the conformity of products in West Africa.
UNIDO Chief Technical Adviser on WAQSP, Aka Jean Joseph Kouass said the Abuja forum provides an opportunity to encourage all other organizations in the member states that are currently making significant efforts to upgrade their national product certificate body.