By Norma Katungi
and Charles Ariko

THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards does not have enough staff to monitor goods entering the country on the Sudan and the Democratic Republic Congo borders.

UNBS head of certification Dr. Abdul Ndifuna said the body had personnel in only 20 entry points out of over 60 that they are supposed to monitor.
He said their personnel was mostly concentrated on the Kenyan and Tanzanian borders.

Ndifuna was addressing a press conference at the UNBS offices in Kampala yesterday.

He also disclosed that the body had only six people in the surveillance division, a number that cannot even cover Kampala alone.

Although the East African bureaus have a protocol recognising products certified by member countries, Ndifuna said porous borders were being used to smuggle in counterfeit products.

In a bid to sensitise the public, Ndifuna said UNBS has organised a quality trade gala where certified products will be showcased in Kampala.

A total of 57 companies are expected to participate in the gala where 226 products will be displayed. The gala will climax on Friday November 20.

UNBS was created in 1983 and started operating in 1989 with just four employees. The organisation now has over 230 employees.