The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced that all used motor vehicles destined for Ghana must undergo pre-shipment inspection by approved inspection agents before they are shipped into the country.
The requirement forms part of the Authority’s FlexiPass Programme and is being implemented under GS 4510, the standard governing pre-shipment verification of conformity for used motor vehicles.
In a public notice, the GSA said only inspection results and certificates issued by its two approved ISO/IEC 17020-accredited inspection bodies will be recognised under the programme.
The approved agents are AutoTerminal Japan (ATJ) and EAA Company Limited (EAA), which together operate more than 100 inspection locations across 15 countries and five regions, covering major markets from which used vehicles are exported to Ghana.
The GSA said the accreditation of the two inspection bodies was intended to ensure technical competence, impartiality and independence in the inspection process.
“Every vehicle is inspected against the same requirements of GS 4510, whichever country or centre it is inspected in,” the Authority said.
Under the programme, importers are required to select an approved inspection agent with a centre near the vehicle or request a mobile inspection service. They must then submit a GSA Pre-shipment Inspection Request Form together with the vehicle and export documents before shipment.
Vehicles will subsequently be examined by accredited inspectors at an approved centre or at the exporter’s premises, auction site or port terminal.
Vehicles that meet the GS 4510 requirements will receive a FlexiPass inspection certificate and may be shipped to Ghana. Those that fail to conform will not receive a certificate and will not be permitted to be exported to Ghana.
The GSA said the inspection process is intended to identify non-conforming vehicles before shipment, thereby protecting importers from incurring freight and duty costs on vehicles that may not meet Ghana’s requirements.
The Authority also cautioned importers and other stakeholders to use only approved inspection agents, warning that certificates issued by other entities would not be accepted under the FlexiPass Programme.
It further urged importers to verify inspection centres and certificates with the GSA or the official contacts of the approved agents and to report requests for payments above the approved fees.
The inspection network currently covers countries including Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, India, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Canada, Mexico and South Africa.
The GSA said the list of approved inspection centres may be revised as the network expands.
