AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS preparations for the commemoration of World Metrology Day (May 20), the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) plans to verify the accuracy of all measurement devices/tools countrywide is gaining momentum.
WMA Technical Department Director Stella Kahwa said in Dar es Salaam at the weekend that this time WMA was focusing on packaged products to protect consumers and ensure they got best products that matched with the value of their money.
“We also intend to encourage and maintain fair and right competition, as well as make sure that what is written on labels is exactly with what is in the package.
The accurately packaged products do encourage and convince traders to enter in both local and international competing markets,” she said.
“Accurate measurements in international trade, the commemoration of World Metrology Day also aimed at enabling the government to impose taxes, promote the country’s economy from an individual to national level, as well as increasing transparency in the market,” said Ms Kahwa.
She also mentioned important things to consider during the packaging of goods as product naming, manufacturing places and the name of the manufacturer, postal and email addresses, phone numbers and the actual amount of goods.
Others are symbols of measurements such as 2kg, 4l and at least one of the products’ official language of the country in which the products were going to be marketed.
“Product symbols and letters (2kg and 4l) should be written in accordance with legal requirements, unless the packaging is for special orders,” she said, adding that: “In efforts to implement Tanzania’s industrial slogan, WMA continues with raising public awareness on small, medium and big enterprises so that they can park their products in line with the Weights and Measures Act, Section 340 and its review of 2002.”
WMA expressed its gratitude to the government for providing many more working tools, including vehicles, a step that served, among other things, moving services closer to people.
It was further noted that according to the Weights and Measures Act, WMA is responsible for regulating the accuracy of existing or coming measurements to protect consumers and sellers as well as promoting the economy.
WMA urged traders to park their products well to make them meet requirements as per the Weights and Measures Act, hence, compete in the world market.
