Quality control agent stresses on the limitation of imports

TANZANIA Bureau of Standards (TBS) has suggested that, in order to protect local industries to fair in business with other partners in East Africa region is to introduce a policy which would limit and prevent the importation of substandard goods which threatens local manufacturers in the country. TBS Director of Quality Management, Dominic Mwakangale said in an exclusive interview recently in Dar es Salaam the formulated policy would give a little chance for the unscrupulous importers to think of ordering faked and counterfeit goods whose presence has become a menace to local consumers in the country. Analyzing his point, he said that, the government has failed to control the influx of such goods because of the freedom which it has given importers and this has brought such a problem as they can import cheap selling products of the low grades which do not conform to the standards. The TBS boss had just presented his paper in a one day forum organized by the Confederation  of Tanzania Industries (CTI) that discussed the main challenges facing industrialists in the country in their move to curb with the increased substandard products in the country.  The one day forum had a theme that focused “role of the role of pre-shipment verification of conformity to standards in curbing counterfeit and sub-standards goods in Tanzania” However, he admitted the fact that, to a certain level TBS has failed to curb the increased substandard goods which have flooded the local market as most of these goods are entered through porous routes whose control has become inevitable by all circumstances. During his presentation, he hailed the government of Kenya (a member state of EAC region) for its efforts and strictness towards the importation of sub standard goods and has reduced the circulation to a greater extent in their country. Giving the available statistics within the East Africa region, he said and added that, Kenya has managed to control the illegal importation of goods by 75 percent. The introduction of Pre Shipment Verification of Conformity to Standard by TBS is one of the strategies the government is taking to deal with such goods, he said and named three International companies which have been assigned by TBS outside the country to ensure that, they do inspection of goods before allowing their importation into the country. The companies are Intertek, Bureau Veritas and SGS. Meanwhile, the government has called for a joint collaborative effort among industrialists, traders and importers to help curb with the increased sale of the substandard goods which have to a certain extent has agreed to have flooded local market in the country. The call by the government has come after having realized failure by the responsible organs which has been given the task to control the situation, and seemingly their strengths have been overwhelmed with a move to curb the vice being practiced by the unscrupulous traders including importers of such goods. The Minister for Trade and Industries Dr. Abdalah Kigoda made the concern yesterday in Dar es Salaam when addressing industrialists as a guest of honour during the 20^th Annual General Meeting of the Confederation of Tanzania industries (CTI). He named the Fair Competition Commission (FCC), TBS, the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TDFA), the Weight and Measures Agency (WMA) police force and other relevant government and private sector institutions including CTI, and argued to effectively ensure that the relevant laws and regulations that deal with counterfeit and sub-standard goods are enforced.  “While the government is determined to eliminate the sale and manufacture of sub-standard and counterfeit goods in Tanzania, it cannot succeed on its own. I request all Tanzanians, traders, manufacturers and consumers to join forces with the Government to expose those who are involved in the trading of those goods” he said. However Dr. Kigoda has urged consumers not to encourage the existence of such goods through being cheated by low prices which are normally attached to sub-standard and counterfeit goods. “More importantly, I urge manufacturers and consumers to expose all those who deal in these goods so that the Government can take appropriate measures”. He affirmed. According to a recent study conducted by CTI on “Review of Laws and Regulations relating to counterfeit and Sub-standard Goods in Tanzania” counterfeit and Sub-standard products account for an estimated 20 percent of all goods imported in Tanzania.  The negative effects of such goods on the economy of Tanzania are immense.