By Taban Henry
The government of South Sudan has contracted Alberk QA International Technical Control & Certification Corp. Company to oversee the flow of imported goods into the country and take steps to screen the entrance of sub-standard goods getting their way into the country.
This came after Alberk QA International Technical Control & Certification Corp issued a certificate of conformity to the bodies responsible for custom duties at Nimule Check point in order to control the inflow of sub-standard goods to South Sudan.
Earlier in February the South Sudan government contracted Alberk QA International Technical Control & Certification Corp in order to oversee the flow of goods entering into the country.
In a statement to the media on Thursday, Angelo Ngot who is the Director for External Affairs from the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the country has suffered a lot as a result of having sub-standard goods adding this has caused damages in terms of human health and other materials being used for development.
He said using sub-standard materials definitely has negative impact on livelihoods at the level of the human being and at the level of development in the country and at the same time it’s affecting the country’s revenue.
“The Ministry of Trade as an institution mandated to deal with the business in the country and the live standard based on the market came with regulations, the minister issued a ministerial order on the 24th February 2022 which mandated more than four companies to work on the field of certificate of conformity to confirm goods that are of standard for South Sudan” Ngot disclosed.
He added that the South Sudan National Bureau of Standard is taking charge citing that everywhere in the world the authority must put the standard of goods consumed by its people based on the scientific way of doing things.
He however stated that South Sudan National Bureau of Standard is taking charge saying the Minister of Trade who is in charge of the business in the country has taken charge of issuing a ministerial order giving powers to the National Bureau of Standard to contract companies so that they can monitor.
“We contracted this companies to make it easy to confirm goods that are getting their way into the country, there has been a reckless importation of goods being carried out some years back, some people broke up to import sub-standard goods which affect us in very many ways like I have said” he added.
“Now when we ask the certificate of conformity we need to know where exactly are you bringing this goods, if it has any negative impact based on the standard according to the certificate then it will be easy to follow up by first protecting not to reach our home because the building that are taking place will collapse at any time if we are to use sun-standard materials” Ngot explained.
The Director General for External Affairs further revealed that they are witnessing the way people are suffering with sicknesses such as cancer which is seriously affecting people in the country because of eating goods not fit for human consumption.
He stressed that some people do not mind about the health of other people somewhere but mind about what they can get out of this transaction while saying people of this country have to safeguard their own interest.
“I am urging all the stations operating here especially the Ministry of Trade must make sure that before you clear with the consignment the certificate of conformity is within the document of import” Ngot urged.
Meanwhile Gaar Yuang Bior the Director General for State Affair’s at the South Sudan National Bureau of Standard revealed that there were a lot of companies entering South Sudan from various entry points.
He said the National Bureau of Standard has contracted Albert QA International Technical Control and Certification Corp to work hand in hand with the Bureau to check on the flow of sub-standard goods into the country.
“Import inspection is important because anything coming from outside and its standard is not known; the sample has to be taken to the laboratory for testing which is the task of the bureau as well as checking of the certificate” Yuang said.
“Any goods coming to the country must be checked by the bureau once confirmed by the bureau, if it is good for human consumption and the environment and it’s good to be used, it will be given the credit to enter South Sudan market” he added.
He however revealed that the country has a lot of entry points but they pay attention only on Nimule border.
He called on the people of South Sudan to comply with the activities the current company is going to do in order to protect the lives of the people.
“Earlier there were some of the goods coming from the EAC and some of our people witnessed and they were returned to their country of origin” he said.
For his part, Faustin Onyango the Alberk QA Operation Manager said all the trucks entering South Sudan will have to be checked of their country of origin to ensure that the cargo that is coming into the country meets the standard as per the regulations of South Sudan.
“An export will lodge a request called RFC and thereafter our technical team will visit the export from which ever part of the continent he might be using the big team that we have all over the world, check the cargo against the required quality standard. In case the cargo meets the standard that is required then the certificate of conformity will be issued” he underscored.
He further said they are doing so to help the government of South Sudan curb events where people were using the country as a dumping place for sub-standard cargo adding that cargo have been brought from all over the world because they know there was no verification for conformity.