The Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism has expressed concern over what it describes as inadequate funding, staffing shortages and obsolete equipment at the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), warning that the situation could undermine consumer protection and Ghana’s trade competitiveness.

The concerns were raised during the committee’s maiden oversight visit to the GSA, where members assessed the authority’s operational capacity and challenges.

The committee’s visit forms part of its oversight responsibilities aimed at ensuring state institutions are adequately equipped to carry out their mandates effectively.

Speaking to the media after the visit, the Chairman of the committee, Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze, noted that the GSA’s mandate continues to expand, but resources allocated to the institution have not kept pace with its responsibilities.

According to him, the authority lacks adequate funding to modernize its laboratories and recruit the technical personnel required to conduct testing, certification and inspections across the country.

He cautioned that expecting the GSA to effectively enforce standards and support other regulatory institutions without the necessary resources could have serious consequences in the future.

Also at the tour, was the ranking member, Okyere  Baafi also highlighted persistent concerns over fuel pump tampering at some filling stations, saying the problem continues to recur despite periodic inspections by regulators.

He explained that while inspections often uncover irregularities, some operators allegedly alter fuel dispensers after officials leave, resulting in consumers receiving less fuel than they pay for.

Okyere Baafi, condemned what he described as inhumane practices at some fuel stations and called for stricter enforcement measures to protect consumers.

According to him, the root cause of the problem is weak monitoring capacity caused by inadequate staffing levels at the GSA.

He argued that the authority requires more personnel to enable regular and sustained monitoring of fuel stations across districts nationwide, rather than relying on occasional inspections.

“The only way to stop the cheating is to have enough officers on the ground for continuous monitoring,” he stated.