UNBS intercepts sh5b fake goods
Apr 23, 2009
ABOUT 500,000 tonnes of substandard and counterfeit goods worth over sh5b were intercepted by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) over the past three years.
By David Muwanga
ABOUT 500,000 tonnes of substandard and counterfeit goods worth over sh5b were intercepted by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) over the past three years.
“Our import inspection team rejected the entry of these goods at various border points,†the executive director, Dr. Terry Kahuma, said.
“The goods included electrical appliances, canned foods, cereals, detergents, household items and building materials,†he said.
This was during a familiarisation tour of the bureau by the new state minister for industry and technology, Father Simon Lokodo, recently. Kahuma said outdated laws were frustrating their efforts.
“We count on your support to have this funding increased to enable us purchase more laboratory equipment, reagents and recruit more staff who are only 214 whereas we need 450,†he said.
“Regulating imports’ quality is also a challenge due to lack of capacity to position our inspectors at all 56 entry points,†he said, adding that only 17 entry points were manned by the bureau inspectors.
“It is important to note that counterfeits and substandard imported products provide unfair competition to genuine local products thereby undermining the viability of local manufacturers who employ Ugandans and pay taxes to government,â€.
ABOUT 500,000 tonnes of substandard and counterfeit goods worth over sh5b were intercepted by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) over the past three years.
“Our import inspection team rejected the entry of these goods at various border points,†the executive director, Dr. Terry Kahuma, said.
“The goods included electrical appliances, canned foods, cereals, detergents, household items and building materials,†he said.
This was during a familiarisation tour of the bureau by the new state minister for industry and technology, Father Simon Lokodo, recently. Kahuma said outdated laws were frustrating their efforts.
“We count on your support to have this funding increased to enable us purchase more laboratory equipment, reagents and recruit more staff who are only 214 whereas we need 450,†he said.
“Regulating imports’ quality is also a challenge due to lack of capacity to position our inspectors at all 56 entry points,†he said, adding that only 17 entry points were manned by the bureau inspectors.
“It is important to note that counterfeits and substandard imported products provide unfair competition to genuine local products thereby undermining the viability of local manufacturers who employ Ugandans and pay taxes to government,â€.