Africa-Press – Uganda. Maize millers and other players along the value chain in Lango Sub-region have expressed commitment to comply with the mandatory standards of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).
This comes after more than 25 maize milling plants in Lira City and Apac Town were closed last week for operating in unhygienic conditions and without certification.
They made the pledge during a dialogue with UNBS officials at Lira City Council Hall on Monday.
Mr Emmanuel Akeny, the chairperson of Lango Millers Association, said: “Since we want to be part of the development of this country, we would like to be helped so that we can grow to the standards.”
He appealed to UNBS to give them two years to fully comply with the mandatory standards.
Ms Sylvia Kirabo, the UNBS head of public relations and marketing, said the dialogue was a milestone for both producers and consumers.
“People have requested for training on site about standards and as UNBS we commit ourselves to do that. We shall continue to train our people and take them through the required processes but also many of them have embarked on registration on the UNBS certification system,” she said in a separate interview.
She also revealed that UNBS would reopen the milling plants next Thursday after millers commit themselves to “close the gaps”.
Lira City mayor Sam Atul said he had several engagements with the affected millers and tasked them to comply with the requirements for the safety of their businesses and the population.
Mr Lawrence Egole, the Lira Resident City Commissioner, urged the millers to adhere to UNBS standards, saying selling substandard products to the population would cause health issues.
Desired requirements
The requirements include keeping premises clean, proper handling of raw materials, and ensuring skilled staff handle the maize products.
Retailers should ensure that products embody the UNBS quality mark and contain details of the manufacturer, contact numbers and physical address.
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