Kampala, Uganda | The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has opened the UNBS national food safety laboratory building whose construction started in 2010 when the body acquired land to build its headquarters in Bweyogerere Industrial Park. Ben Manyindo, the UNBS executive director said on Dec.12.
The food lab is built on a space of 4,323 square meters and was fully funded by the government of Uganda.
The laboratory is expected to increase productivity of staff and provide more room for testing capacity samples for Ugandan exports, support businesses and boost trade activities.
Going forward, two more laboratories will be constructed including the National Metrology whose construction is expected to begin at the end of the first quarter of 2020 with funding from the African Development Bank. The other lab is the Engineering and Building Materials and its funding has been incorporated in UNBS’ budget for FY2020/2021.
“When completed, the three laboratories will facilitate trade at national, regional and international level as well as offer protection to consumers,” Manyindo said. He said the facilities will not crowd out the private sector but will provide oversight services to other private sector laboratories in the country.
Source: The Independent.
