The
Gambia Standards Bureau, in collaboration with West Africa Quality System
Programme (WAQSP), will be holding a National Quality Award in May 2017.
The
launching was held at the Sheraton Beach Hotel in Brufut.
The
aim of the award is to promote a quality culture within the public and private
enterprises, encourage the embracement of quality performance among these
enterprises.
Speaking
at the launching, Dr Omar Touray, Chairman of the organizing committee, said
the National Organizing Committee was established in November 2016 and it
brings stakeholders from different facets of society.
Dr
Touray describes the ‘Quality as crucial and they should make sure that
standards are mainstreamed at all levels of society.
Papa
Secka, Director General of the Gambia Standards Bureau, said the National Award
is in line with their policy and they intend to do it annually.
Secka
describes it as everybody’s business and all must play their role to ensure
that quality is achieved.
Speaking
at the launching on behalf of the Trade Minister, The deputy Permanent
Secretary, Lamin Dampha, said the country has been faced with the challenges of
weak national quality infrastructure which makes it difficult to fully realize
the benefits of participating in global trade.
“This
is because of a deficit in the quality of our products and services which has
been a major obstacle to their acceptances by our international trading
partners.”
According
to PS Dampha, this has led to several rejections and rapid alerts from “the
countries where we export our products”.
“Furthermore
this deficit has impeded industrial growth and expansion and has made it
difficult for the State to fully protect consumer health and safety and ensure
fair trade and value for money, for goods and services.”
This
is the reason why quality awards are regularly organized in some ECOWAS
members’ countries, Mr Dampha said.
He
explained that ECOWAS will for the first organize Quality Award in June 2017,
adding that it aims to reward the best organization in the region thus rewards
the quality effort at the national level.
The
Gambia, he said, is expected to participate in the ECOWAS Quality Award but
must organize its own Quality Award first to select its winners that will be
presented to compete at ECOWAS level.
Ricardo
Veldo, UNIDO Consultant, who gave presentation on the ECOWAS Quality Award,
said that any national organization wishing to participate in the ECOWAS Award
must also participate at the National Quality Award.
