Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is on the spot over claims for awarding Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) contracts to briefcase companies – merely existing on paper without structures.
PVoc is a conformity assessment program mandatory for all businesses importing regulated products into the country. Its main objective is to minimise the risks of unsafe and substandard goods.
The allegations came to light on Monday during an interface between UNBS and Parliament’s Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry.
The Committee Deputy Chairperson Ms Catherine Lamwaka (Omoro) said the allegations needed to be addressed following the oversight visit in March 2023 to countries like India, South Asia and Dubai where legislators observed a number of mishaps over the contracts awarded to companies to do PVoC.
“The issues were generally on contracts. Some companies had not even fully been established in these countries and we wondered how they were doing their work. Some don’t even have offices,” she said.
MPs mostly faulted Helmsman Quality and Technology Services Ltd (HQTS) Company which they alleged was only existing on paper without any functional offices on the ground.
“This committee was very disappointed, especially with HQTS Company. Their offices seemed to be hired just for one day. You can tell an office establishment. And when we demanded key staff around, they were not there. There were basically two people playing around. And when we asked for the laboratory, they kept [making calls] because they did not know where it was,” Ms Lamwaka said.
HQTS, on its website page, prides itself as a global service provider that has for over 25 years dedicated its services towards solving quality issues and creating a more robust supply chain.
Mr Geofrey Kayemba Ssolo (Bukomansimbi South) in his submission said: “We went there and Madam Chair was the leader of the delegation of the Dubai team. We saw that one of the companies HQTS [awarded to do the inspection] was a fake company. How come you did not see that? Did you do a background check-up?”
Ms Harriet Businge Mugenyi (Hoima) just could not understand how HQTS could fail to have an office in the United Arab Emirates and India.
“Their office is almost not there, there was no furniture…. nothing,” she said.
In response, the UNBS Imports Inspection manager Mr Martin Imalingat said they had all initially agreed that since HQTS lacks a physical team in Dubai, it should not be given a contract award.
“That was our recommendation,” Mr Imalingat said.
The Head of Procurement at UNBS Mr Godfrey Babalanda shared a similar response.
“I was part of the evaluation team that advised against the idea of awarding the contract to the company. Procurement does not award contracts. We just [make] recommendations to the contracts committee which then is responsible for awarding contracts,” he said.
Led by Ms Lamwaka, the Committee ruled that they would invite the Contacts Committee for a meeting to answer allegations on why they went against the advice of the Evaluation Committee and Head of Procurement.
Parliament’s probe on verification contracts by UNBS comes at a time when Mr David Livingstone Ebiru, the executive director of UNBS is facing allegations of misappropriation of government funds worth more than Shs12 billion as well as shielding staff who reportedly stole more than Shs9.2 billion.
This publication on July 10 reported that he had been summoned by the National Standards Council (NSC) over the accusations.
Mr Ebiru who was also present at Parliament’s Trade Committee hardly responded to questions. Most of the inquiries from the legislators were answered by other staff members.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
