Cameroon-bound Goods To Be Inspected Before Shipment

By Victorine BIY NFOR, Cameroon Tribune

Government has signed agreements with two surveillance companies to this effect.

The Prime Ministerial order of July 1, 2015, obliging the checking of goods before shipment to Cameroon is already a step forward. The Minister of Mines, Industries and Technological Development, Ernerst Gwaboubou,

on April 6, 2016, signed agreements with two separate companies to inspect and analyse goods that are destined for Cameroon. The signing ceremony was also watched by the Director General of the Agency for Standards and Quality, ANOR, Charles Booto à Ngon.

The agreements were signed between government and Société Général de Surveillance SA (SGS SA), on the one hand, and with Intertek International Limited, on the other. Going by its terms, the companies will assess goods in compliance with standards and quality before shipment to Cameroon. Government expects the two companies to carry out laboratory identification and analyses for every item. The companies will also quantify and classify goods and their tarrifs. Société Général de Surveillance SA (SGS SA) and Intertek International Limited will hence inspect products, ensuring that they are of good quality and comply with Cameroonian standards.

The putting in place of a platform to evaluate the conformity of goods before shipment into Cameroon, known by its French acronym as PECAE, is government’s decision to create a level ground for doing business, protect the local industry, create a favourable business climate for public and private investors. The end result is to protect users and consumers from imported goods of doubful quality.

The aim is also to offer quality services (standards, certification, metrology, accreditation, evaluation of conformity and training). Government however challenges local industries to respect standards and quality as they seek to become more competitive so as to conquer the local and international market.