Jinja: The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has extended the sensitization drive of its Digital Conformity Marking (DCM) Program to the Jinja business community. The program is part of UNBS’s mission to protect public health and safety, enforce standards, and facilitate trade.
The DCM Program is a traceability mechanism by UNBS that helps consumers, supermarkets, and retailers identify certified products from non-standard ones.
On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, UNBS met with the business community in Jinja City for an in-depth engagement aimed at discussing certification procedures, product surveillance, and the DCM program to ensure compliance and foster sustainable economic growth.
“This program is vital for you, the business owners. Verifying the quality of commodities is very important,” said Mr. Philip Kahuma, a Principal Certification Officer at UNBS.
Mr. Kahuma highlighted the benefits of the program, which include verifying product quality, ensuring traceability, enhancing enforcement, and protecting consumers. He urged the community to report concerns to officials in order to prevent counterfeiting.
“When someone is caught in impersonation or forgery, they are taken to court, as UNBS works with clear, public guidelines and laws,” he stated.
Kobere Linda, from the Market Surveillance Department, explained that non-compliant products often fail to meet mandatory specifications, lack proper labeling, or exceed their shelf life.
“Such products put consumers at risk and undermine fair trade practices,” she said.
She added that violations of product standardization could result in the suspension of production, business closure, and severe penalties. Kobere emphasized that the Market Surveillance team works to ensure fairness in trade and the availability of safe products in the market.
Mr. Patrick Babalanda, Vice Chairperson of the Uganda National Traders Alliance, expressed concern over counterfeit weighing scales and product duplication. He called on UNBS to address these issues swiftly.
“You need to form task forces to check that weighing equipment is fit for use in trade,” he said, emphasizing the importance of involving local district departments in monitoring.
Emmanuel Muyanda, General Secretary of the Jinja City Traders Association and Assistant Secretary of the Uganda National Traders Alliance, urged the community to ensure the standardization of products consumed by customers.
Muyanda also highlighted the importance of tax payments for national development, noting that when taxes are paid, the country progresses. However, he cautioned tax collectors to use friendly language when collecting revenue from business owners.
This call to action is timely, as the government is actively sensitizing the community on the importance of taxes and product standardization.
Jinja City Assistant RCC, Mr. George Mubiru, praised UNBS’s improved engagement and communication. He encouraged the business community to pay taxes for national development.
“Thank you for bringing services closer to the people and for establishing a friendly working relationship with the public,” the Assistant RCC commended.
Mr. Mubiru urged UNBS to continue conducting community engagements to prevent forgery. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening UNBS’s network and prosecuting those who forge quality marks and flood the market with fake commodities.
“Poor-quality goods not only limit the market penetration of manufacturers but also compromise the health of our people. The health of our people is a priority for President Museveni and the NRM government,” he said.
