South Sudan Bureau of Standards disposes substantial number of expired goods

JUBA – South Sudan’s National Bureau of Standards on Monday said it has disposed of several expired goods collected from various markets across Juba.

The goods were seized during a four-day inspection exercise launched in Juba on Monday.

Addressing journalists during an inspection in Juba on Monday, Jacob Matiop, head of the market surveillance team said shop owners should comply with standards.

“Here at the market, one of the electronic shops, we found some of the items that are substandard, and some are expired,” he said.

The senior government official said the expired goods would be destroyed and the owners penalized.

“We asked businesspeople to be serious about the items that are imported and goods that have been produced here in South Sudan to check on their leveling of expiry and substandard of goods and anything that is not comforting to the standard, we shall remove from the market,” he said.

“Any substandard and expired items would be destroyed completely and any person selling expired goods will be penalized,” he added.

William Anyuon Kuol, Minister of Trade and Industry said the launch inspection campaign aims to identify and remove expired goods from the market and store.

“What they (inspection team) will do is the inspection of the markets because they will inspect goods in the store and factories whether local or goods that are also imported into our country,” said Kuol.

Dr. Kuorwel Kuai Kuorwel, Chairperson of the Council of Bureau of Standards said the inspection exercise which targets factories, supermarkets, shops, stores, slaughtered houses, and others will continue throughout the year.

“During this surveillance inspection, inspectors will check sanitary condition, storage condition, and compliance with leveling and other technical requirements in the market, hotel, stores, factories, and supermarkets,” said Kuorwel.

He said the exercise aims to ensure that the consumable products are safe for human consumption

“The team is ready, and they will be working throughout until early next year to ensure that the population is safe from consuming unsafe products that we deemed some business people might take advantage of during this time.”

The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards was established to inspect quality standards of goods in the market.