10 Jun 2018

 Acting Director in the Department of Industrial Affairs Ms Mpho Ntshese says accreditation provides a globally recognised tool in ensuring safety of products and services in the market.

Ms Ntshese, who was speaking during the World Accreditation commemorations in Maun on Friady noted that accreditation as a tool was used to address local and international needs of governments.

The commemorations were a collaboration by the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS) and Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.

Ms Ntshese said the theme; Accreditation Delivering a Safer World , emphasised how people expected “safe workplaces, safe products, safe transport, safe food and all other aspects of our lives,” she said.

She said it was the role of the conformity assessment bodies to retain confidence in the market by providing a globally recognised tool that controlled risks of the internal businesses and what reached the market.

Ms Ntshese noted that government had established a National Accreditation Focal Point (NAFP) in the Department of Industrial Affairs under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to promote the benefits of accreditation.

Botswana, she said had established several professional regulating bodies and research institutions that promoted and maintained a safe environment, products and services

However, Ms Ntshese said they hoped for Botswana to have its own accreditation system under the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS) umbrella.

The organisation is an accreditation body assisted by SADC countries which do not have national accreditation bodies such as Botswana.

The SADCAS technical manager, Ms Jeanne-Franscoise Ranorovelo said accreditation ensured safety from risks or harm and assured confidence that the product and services were of best class standards.

In his welcome remarks, the North West District Council secretary, Mr Charles Amos urged the players in the accreditation of standards industry to use the commemorations to introspect and share experiences to improve their industry.

Mr Amos said accreditation of goods and services was key for individual lives and countries. He also observed that accreditation was an economic and market tool used to manage risks and give customers confidence. ENDs