South Sudan destroys expired assorted goods

JUBA – South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) on Saturday disposed of expired and substandard products seized from the different markets in Juba to ensure the protection of consumers.

The standard authority conducted a successful inspection of Malakia, Konyo-konyo, Custom market, Yei Road, some hotels and supermarkets in December last, purposely to check on the validity of products which led to the confiscation of several expired products including beverages, food items, lubricants, engine oil and other.

Addressing journalists at a press conference held in Juba on Saturday, Dr. Kuorwel Kuai Kuorwel, Chairperson of SSNBS said the team managed to remove over 5,000 expired, damaged, counterfeits and substandard goods from different markets in Juba.

“During the campaign, the team was able to collect more than 5,000 expired and substandard commercial items from different locations in Juba,” Kuorwel told journalists during a press conference on Saturday in Juba.

Kuorwel said the goods were gutted off according to the SSNBS Act, of 2012.

“We, therefore, want to warn the business that selling expired goods is an offence under section, 27, subsection 1 (a) of the SSNBS Act, 2012.

William Anyuon Kuol, Minister of Trade and Industry said legal action will be taken against those involved in these illegal businesses.

“For this particular time, we will not give penalties, what we will do is we will take these people to the court because we have the National Bureau of Standards Act 20212, this act gives us powers to exercise our duties so that we will take this people to court.”

The South Sudan National Bureau of Standards was established in 2012 and is responsible for implementing standards, testing, inspection, market surveillance, certification, accreditation and other technical regulations.