Clearing agents in Busia decry delayed verification of goods by UNBS

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Clearing agents have complained over the delayed verification of goods by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards-UNBS at the Busia One-Stop Border Post.

According to the clearing agents, the delay by UNBS is pushing them out of business because verification takes more than 24 hours leading to losses.

Mariam Nkemba, a clearing agent with Atapar Clearing Agencies wants UNBS to recruit more staff to help expedite the verification process.

Dickson Owinjo, a clearing agent with Jemi Agency says that due to the delay by UNBS to verify goods, trucks loaded with goods spend three days in the parking yard before they proceed with the goods to a given destination.

Egesa Arafat, the chairman of Busia customs clearing agents says that the delays have left them at losses leading to misunderstandings with their clients who want their products to reach their destination in a given time.

Simon Tony, the UNBS inspector attached at Busia border attributed the delays to understaffing. He says that they have a workload of inspecting and verifying more than 150 trucks loaded with goods almost on a daily basis at the border. He says that they have forwarded the concerns to the management of UNBS.

Victoria Namutebi Luwaga, the UNBS Public Relations Officer called for calm, saying that it’s the mandate of the UNBS to ensure consumer protection by ensuring that products are verified and fully inspected at the entry point before they enter the country.

*****

URN