Legislators on the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) have visited the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) headquarters to assess its operations following concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report.
The MPs, led by committee chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi, toured the bureau’s 15-acre facility, where they inspected laboratories, testing equipment and other facilities used to check the quality and safety of products on the market.
They were received by UNBS executive director James Kasigwa, who guided them around the facility and explained the bureau’s operations and challenges.
During the tour, the MPs observed that some testing machines were not operational, raising questions about the bureau’s ability to carry out its work effectively.
George Musisi, the committee’s vice-chairperson, questioned whether the faulty equipment affected the bureau’s output.
“Some testing machines are down, and this doesn’t affect the output?” Musisi asked.
Kasigwa told the legislators that their visit was timely and would help draw attention to the bureau’s needs and support efforts to address them.
“We have a need; your visit is timely because it will help us meet this need,” Kasigwa told the MPs.
Nkunyingi said the Auditor General’s report had raised several concerns about the bureau, including staff shortages and a lack of some essential testing equipment.
He said the committee had visited the facility to establish the situation on the ground before engaging the bureau’s management further.
“We have come to see, but we shall later write to them and have a thorough engagement now that we have been on the ground,” Nkunyingi said.
He added that the committee expected UNBS to respond to the concerns raised in the audit report.
“Some issues raised in the Auditor General’s report were true, and we expect answers after,” Nkunyingi said.
The visit forms part of COSASE’s oversight work, through which MPs examine the operations of government agencies, investigate concerns raised in audit reports and seek explanations from officials responsible for managing public institutions.
