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Momodou
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 Posted - 31 May 2010 : 21:24:20
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Are Consumers Satisfied With The Goods Weighing And Measuring Devices? Stakeholders Validate Report on Weights and Measures Act
By Sarjo Camara Singhateh
31-05-10
Consumers often decry the lack of ‘value for money’ in transactions involving weights and measures when they purchase goods. They complaint of goods being under weighed and measurements not exact thus resulting in cheating when they buy goods from traders. Some also express dissatisfaction with the services provided by the Weights and Measures Bureau to protect consumers and ensure fair trade in weights and measures.
In order to improved consumer protection in transactions involving weights and measures, the need was felt for the revitalization of the work of the Bureau which requires the upgrading of its legal instruments, reference and working measurement standards among other measures to be taken. Hence the engagement of stakeholders to address these legitimate concerns of consumers and needs for fair trade.
A one day seminar to validate the findings of the Consultancy Report on the review of Standards of Weights and Measures Act and Rules 1977 and 1979 was organized by the West Africa Quality Programme (WAQP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) at the Alliiance Franco Gambian centre on Kairaba Avenue on Thursday 29 May, 2010. This is part of the activities to mark World Metrology Day which is celebrated on the 20 May every year.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Abdoulie Jammeh, Principal Economist/ Director of Trade at MOTIE and chair of the session welcome participants and gave an overview of the objectives of the seminar to validate report and also to inaugurate the Weights and Measures Bureau Revitalisation Committee. He said the focus will be on Metrology in the National Standards Bureau and its interface with industry, science and the national regulatory framework
Mr. Joseph Ndenn, National Technical Coordinator -WAQP, explained that this activity was planned for WMD on 20 May but that the day coincided with a WAQP (ECOWAS) Regional Meeting which was hosted by The Gambia. He expounded on the significance of the theme for this year’s WMD which is ‘Metrology in Science and Technology’. He said currently the Weights and Measures Bureau is the sole metrology institution in the country and it is responsible for regulating weights and measures in trade to safeguard the consumer. He however noted that plans are underway to establish a National Standards Body which, in addition to its mandate for standardization, would be responsible for the national metrology system in The Gambia.
According to Mr. Ndenn, the overall objective and output of the seminar is to validate the findings of consultancy report and to promote better understanding among stakeholders of the key areas of the quality infrastructure and the interface between the national metrology system and the legal metrology framework.
In his statement, Mr. Abdou Kolley, Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE), started by thanking WAQP for organizing the workshop in collaboration with his ministry. He said the 2010 theme for WMD concentrates on how measurement influences science and stimulates innovation.
Minister Kolley said the purpose of celebrating the Metrology Day is to raise awareness among stakeholders on the role of metrology in the advancement of fair trade.
According to the Trade Minister, the Weights and Measures Bureau was established to regulate trade in weights and measures and is mandated to carry out the verification of all measurement devices used in trade throughout the country in order to ensure fair trade practices and ultimately protect consumers. He said the legal instruments governing the operations of the Bureau are the Standard of Weights and Measures Act (1977). The Minister said in a bid to update the instruments for the effective functioning of the Bureau, his ministry “through the WAQP in November 2009 solicited the support of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for a consultancy service to review the Act.
The Trade Minister noted that the Weights and Measures Bureau has since its establishment in 1977 gone through some transformations and a change of name in the late 1990s but that in order to make sure that it focuses on its core functions which include verification of weighing instruments, calibration and inspection among others, his ministry in 2009 reverted the name of the Bureau to its original WMB instead of the Standards Bureau.
The Trade Minister said that having recognized the significant role being played by Weights and Measures Bureau in the domestic trading system, his ministry once again with the collaboration of the WAQP has decided to set up the Weights and Measures Revitalisation Committee which, he said, iwas about to be launched. According to the Minister, the committee is a multi-disciplinary stakeholder body with diverse knowledge and experiences that would add value in supporting the Bureau to achieve its primary goal.
In the seminar proper, after the opening session, power point presentations were made by Mr. Cherno Njie and Mr. Gomez of the Weights and Measures Bureau, Mr. Ndenn-WAQP, Mr. Abdoulie Jammeh and Ousman Bojang of MOTIE which centered around the current institutional and legal framework of the Bureau, operations, services, constraints, weaknesses, challenges and also the efforts being made towards the development of an efficient and effective Weights and Measures Bureau that will be responsive to the needs of domestic trade and the protection of consumers. Recommendations were also made for the revitalization of the Bureau and its work.
Following the official launching of the Weights and Measures Revitalisation Committee, its chair, Mr. Sheikh Omar Sallah of the Consumer Protection Alliance and a retired Civil Servant, gave an acceptance speech. He assured his readiness to guide the Committee to discharge its task in helping the Weights and Measures Bureau to become more effective and efficient in its regulatory role in ensuring fair trade in weights and measurements. The other members of the newly inaugurated National Committee, including representatives from industry, trade, academia, the sciences and WAQP, were also present.
Source: Foroyaa Online
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