GSB validates 5-year strategic plan

According to officials, the workshop was held to discuss the standardization of the five-year strategic plan of the Standard Bureau.

Speaking at the validation workshop, Abdou Kolly, Trade and Employment Minister, said the Government of The Gambia had enhanced the Gambia Standard Bureau Act of 2010, established as a specialized agency under the ministry of trade with the objective of facilitating trade and promoting culture of quality by standardizing goods and industrial calibration.

He noted that the Bureau was the focal point for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and served as its technical barriers.

In addition, he said, the reform measure of the Government had put in place for the business and service provider in The Gambia to enhance the quality of product and to facilitate access in the national market but equally ensured importation of goods and acceptable quality into the nation.

He said trade facilitation added the advantage of this reform measure was that implementation of applicable standards and uses conferment conformity assessment service, helps organization to comply with relevant regulation.

The Director General of Standard Bureau, Pape Secka, expressed his gratitude to the participants for their time, adding that they gathered to discuss and validate a draft 5-year strategic plan of the Gambia Standards Bureau.

He noted that during the development of the strategic plan, it had gone under various major milestones.

The key among them had been the engagement of stakeholders through an initiation that was circulated in which various themes should be covered by the strategic plan, he said.

Joseph Ndene of the GSB board of directors said the board of directors had been fully engaged in the evolution of the draft strategic plan.

“You will agree with me that your institution has been well engaged and encouraged, having well development of this strategic plan,” he said.