General Wilson Mbadi, the Minister of State for Trade, has promised to assist the decentralization of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) services, which will decrease operating expenses for MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises).
The government’s bold aim to increase GDP from USD 49.5 billion in FY 2023–2024 to USD 500 billion over the following 15 years includes this effort. During his first official visit to the One Stop Borders Post (OSBP) in Elegu and the UNBS Northern region its headquarters in Gulu City, General Mbadi said these things.
UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa outlined the bureau’s difficulties during the visit, pointing out a lack of funding and staff members that impedes income creation and the provision of services. In order to assist the government’s emphasis on export promotion, import substitution, and industrial growth, Kasigwa asked for more funds and staffing.
Minister Mbadi promised to push for more financing and staffing and praised UNBS for its achievements in spite of scarce resources. During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, UNBS assisted over 1,600 MSMEs and certified over 5,000 goods. In order to improve product quality and speed up MSME certification, the Minister underlined the significance of increasing UNBS’s presence in all ten Agro-ecological zones and expedite MSME certification.
At the moment, West Nile, Lango, Acholi, portions of Karamoja, and the Masindi district are served by the UNBS Northern region office’s certification, testing, and market monitoring services. The Eastern region office in Mbale and the Western region office in Mbarara are two more regional offices. These regional offices do not currently offer vital services like legal metrology and calibration, nevertheless.
MSMEs from all around the area may now use UNBS certification and testing services without having to travel to Kampala, thanks to the decentralization of UNBS services, which aims to improve service delivery efficiency by lowering business costs.
Sixty percent of Uganda’s businesses are MSMEs, and the majority are found outside of the country’s center. Additionally, it seeks to promote standards compliance and certification for the 60% of MSMEs located in rural areas, which will aid in growth.
Furthermore, to increase the competitiveness of locally produced goods in order to encourage exports and alternative imports, in accordance with the National Development Plan IV and the Parish Development Model.
Additionally, General Mbadi and Engineer Kasigwa paid a visit to the UNBS office at the Elegu OSBP, where import inspections are carried out to keep inferior goods off the market.
UNBS is steadfast in its dedication to upholding fair trade practices, safeguarding consumer interests, and boosting Ugandan exports’ competitiveness in local, regional, and international markets.
The government organization Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is in charge of creating, promoting, and implementing national standards to safeguard the environment, public health, and safety from dangerous and subpar goods.
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