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ECOWAS BAMAKO, MALI – 14th OCTOBER 2017 – The chair of the Technical Management Committee for Standard Harmonization of ECOWAS (TMC), has stressed the importance of standards and their harmonization to protect people and the environment. Dr. Justin Kickaff was speaking at the 8th meeting of the TMC held in Bamako, Mali from 9th to 14th October 2017. The forum brought together officials from the standards control bodies in ECOWAS member countries designed to enhance quality production in the region.
Also speaking at the meeting, Mali’s Minister of Industrial Development Mohamed Aly Ibrahim commended ECOWAS and its partners for implementing the West Africa Quality System Program which he noted would ensure quality infrastructure in the sub-region.
Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS Commissioner in charge of Industry and Private Sector Promotion, the Director of Industry, Mr. Lawson-Hechelli Mensan thanked the government of Mali for hosting Member states of ECOWAS at this important meeting. He thanked member states for their continuous positive response as well as efforts and commitment to ECOWAS Commission programs.
Mr. Mensan dilated on the adoption of ECOSHAM and ECOQUAL by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, noting that ECOSHAM process started almost four years ago with six committees all operational. He said the TMC meeting was convened to review and finalize over 30 drafts Harmonized Standards proposed by THCs.
Mr. Mensan told participants that the finalized ECOSTAND document will be ready for submission to the Ministerial meeting for validation. He also recognized the work already done by THCs and TMC geared towards having standards that reflect our realities.
During the meeting, a TMC sub-committee comprising of Senegal, The Gambia, Capo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana was commissioned to review the formatting of standards in West Africa.
The Sub-Committee was tasked with the responsibility to review the directive on the formatting of standards and bring out a proposal for TMC for consideration. During the meeting, the Committee gave a feedback and the TMC agreed by consensus that a section of the table of content should be included in every ECOSTANDS.
The meeting concluded that the amended formatting with the inclusion of table of content in the ECOSTANDS and procedures should be updated and communicated to all THC Secretariats. It would be recalled that the ECOWAS Council of Ministers adopted the structure of the ECOWAS Quality Infrastructure as suggested by Conference of Ministers in charge of Quality.