The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has today 7th December 2016 handed over certificates to 5 laboratories in recognition as competent and legitimate laboratories in the position to test products and issue accurate test results.
This is in line with the Laboratory Recognition Scheme established to ensure that other products outside the scope of UNBS Laboratories are tested and also expand UNBS testing capacity.
This move is also in tandem with the drive at the EAC level where other competent laboratories can be used for testing of products and the accruing results are recognised as legitimate and authentic.
This therefore, implies that the recognised laboratories today are competent to test and issue results that may be used by UNBS in product certification scheme and its other regulatory activities. This will also greatly reduce on the work load in the UNBS laboratories thereby reducing the time it takes to get results consequently making trade faster and smoother. The recognised laboratories include; Chemiphar Uganda, Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), SMAT Uganda limited, Roofings (U) Ltd and RECO Industries.
Speaking at the recognition ceremony, the UNBS Executive Director Dr, Ben Manyindo said “these are some of the initiatives UNBS is undertaking to increase capacity of the institution to ensure fair trade through standards”.