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Govt institutions in U/West receive copies of Builder’s Code

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has presented 12 copies of the Ghana Builder’s Code (GSI 207:2018) to the Regional Coordinating Council as well as the 11 Municipal and District Assemblies in the Upper West Region.

The code was designed to guide the construction of buildings, to ensure uniformity and meet the desired standards in terms of safety and longevity.

Presenting the Builder’s Code to the various Municipal and District Chief Executives, the Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Professor Alex Dodoo urged the recipients to make good use of the document.

“These books must be read and studied by all relevant actors at the assembly so that they are able to regulate the springing up of buildings, kindly start with your planning officers and ensure that they are not left on the shelves to gather dust,” he charged.

A Scientific Officer and Civil Engineer at the GSA, Emmanuel Obeng, asked stakeholders in the building industry to ensure compliance with public welfare, health and safety.

In a related development, the GSA launched The National Aflatoxin Sensitisation and Management (NASAM) Project, at a meeting of farmers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector, at Wa.

The two-year project would be used to sensitise farmers to the effects of aflatoxins as well as ensure food safety and security through increased knowledge about aflatoxin in respect of its impacts and management in 600,000 households and among 5,000 farmers.

Prof. Dodoo observed that the high levels of aflatoxin in legumes and grains had impacted negatively on exports, such that Ghana could only export 10 per cent of its produce to other countries.

The head of Mycotoxin Laboratory at the GSA, Mr Derry Dontoh, hinted that aflatoxins could cause health problems for humans who consumed infested crops.

“Aflatoxins can lead to liver necrosis, liver tumours and also suppress the immune system or cause liver cancer. In effect, it is not only dangerous to plants, humans are at risk of consuming infested crops,” he explained.

The Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Gilbert Nuuri-teg, thanked the GSA for contributing to the development of agriculture.

Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa

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