South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) on Wednesday impounded 17 trucks containing substandard goods.
The Chairperson of SSNBS, Dr. Kuorwel Kuai Kuorwel told journalists in Juba that five of the trucks were carrying sugar and another truck containing biscuits smuggled through the Nimule border entry point without inspection and laboratory tests.
Kuorwel said the goods imported from Brazil, India, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam was smuggled into the country by Juba-based suppliers.
“Inspectors of the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards at Nimule and Nesitu impounded 17 trucks loaded with assorted goods mainly biscuits, beer, sugar, cooking oil, tahnia, honey, dates and coconut milk which were imported by four Juba-based suppliers from Brazil, India, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam,” he disclosed.
“This occurred during a routine procedure which ensures that all goods entering the country are inspected at the border points before being transported into the country,” he added.
Kuorwel said that they have launched investigation to establish how the goods without safety and quality standards entered the country with fake certificates of conformity in order to avoid inspection.
“Other eleven trucks had goods that were purchased and loaded without inspection and were issued a certificate of conformity without safety and quality standards check. All these consignments are still undergoing investigation,” he said.
Kuorwel warned that legal action will be taken against those involved in these illegal businesses.
“Therefore, we want to warn commercial suppliers that illegal importation of goods into the country doesn’t only violate product safety compliance but constitutes illicit trade that is punishable by law,” he said.
William Anyuon Kuol, the Minister of Trade and Industry said that they have noticed some traders that are supplying substandard medicines into the country.
“We have even some medicines that come to the country without proper procedures , there are a lot of complaints, our people are sick and sometimes people are wondering why people are suffering from cancer and other people are suffering from ulcer and a lot of things,”Anyuon said.
