The Design and Technology Institute (DTI) in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has held a Precision Quality (PQ) Market Conference to address issues of quality service delivery as well as product standardization among traders and artisans in the country.
The conference was in line with DTI’s strategy to collaborate with stakeholders on the “Transforming Youth TVET livelihood for sustainable jobs” project, which is part of the partnership arrangement with the Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works strategy to enable 3 million young Ghanaians, particularly young women to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities by 2030.
It is expected that the work skills and practices of 5,000 master craft persons and 1,000 SMEs will be improved through the Precision Quality (PQ) curriculum training programme.
Speaking at the conference which took place on October 14, 2021 at the Trust Sports Emporium Conference Hall (Bukom Boxing Arena), Mamprobi, Ms Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of DTI, stated that in an era where customers demand excellent products and service delivery, it has become necessary for master craft persons and trade associations to adopt and maintain high skills of accuracy and standards to meet the needs of consumers.
“Most often, artisans and traders do not give consumers the quality service they deserve and pay for because they take things for granted and do not pay attention to details. These things can easily be corrected with the right tools, training and mindset. This is what we want to achieve with the Precision Quality (PQ) Market Conference,” Ms Swaniker said.
Ms Swaniker, popularly known as ‘The mother of Precision Quality’, added that to be able to produce high quality products that satisfy consumers, industry players need to pay attention to precision and quality.
“What we have done today is to engage and solicit the views of artisans to lead the change process and be active agents of change for PQ. Today bears witness to what is possible, if we come together collectively to effect positive change to sustain economic growth. We will be able to unlock thousands of jobs if master craft persons understand the need for PQ in their work. Let me also add that good quality is never cheap and cheap quality is never good,” she stated.
During the conference, Prof. Alexander Dodoo, Director General of Ghana Standards Authority, noted that his outfit will work closely with DTI and stakeholders to formalize and regulate the work of artisans and traders to follow standards that guarantee quality delivery.
The market conference brought together key stakeholders such as the President of the Greater Accra Market Association, Manye Mercy Afrowa Needjan; trade associations and master craft persons from Accra, Kumasi, and Ho as well as executives from state institutions such as the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (CTVET) to discuss industry issues, strategize to create jobs whiles attaining industry standards and quality outputs through PQ.
Testimony
Mr. Evans Asamoah, a beneficiary of the first cohort of the PQ training session, disclosed that the training helped him put systems in place that really improved his products and service delivery resulting in securing more jobs from customers.
“When I attended the one-week PQ training programme, I learnt a lot of things which have helped my profession. I would like to thank DTI for coming up with such an initiative that has changed my mindset about the work I do. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and I must say that the PQ training is phenomenal,” he said.
