The Ghana Standards Authority has reiterated that it will continue to certify gold as part of its mandate enhancing standards.
The statement is in sharp contrast with assertions made by the Managing Director of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) Dr. Kwadjo Opare-Hammond that the Ghana Standard Authority has no right to certify gold.
According to the Managing Director of the PMMC, the Ghana Standard Authority has no power to certify gold in the country.
The Managing Director went ahead to describe any attempt by the GSA to certify gold as “totally bogus” and “of no effect”t.
But speaking to Citi Business News, the Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Authority, Prof. Alex Dodoo maintained that the authority did not err in certifying gold from Ghana with an Adinkra Symbol.
“The GSA carries out its activities independently. We have certified gold, we have hallmarked gold. Other certification bodies can hallmarked the same gold that we have hallmarked if they so choose and the company so wish. We do not see our work as a conflict with other state institutions because we are do not export and import gold. We just give a guarantee that a product is what it says it is”.
Professor Dodoo maintained that the exercise being undertaken by the authority is not in conflict with the work of the PMMC but will rather help give Ghana’s gold a unique identity.
“We will continue to certify gold. What we are doing is helping build the economy and give some identity to Ghana’s gold so that internationally everybody can identify Ghana’s gold. We stand by our certification. Any gold we certify carries a guarantee and will trade at premium,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Citi Business News has gathered that cabinet is meeting on the matter and will soon come out with a directive on the way forward.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana