By Peter Seebulime
The executive Director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Dr.Ben Manyindo has today appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Agencies and State Enterprises (COSASE), to answer various queries from the legislators in connection with his mandate.
During his appearance, Manyindo proposed the transformation of the bureau from its traditional way of operation to a 24-hour operation.
While presenting some of the challenges the Bureau faces, he said that ” We cannot satisfy the public needs while the Bureau still operates eight hours a day. I thus propose 24-hour operations to enable the Bureau monitor and eliminate the counterfeit products on the market.”
He further informed the committee that the Bureau is operating at 40% which makes it less effective in matching the expectations of the public.
Manyindo also raised a concern of more and staffing and funding to the Bureau if Ugandans are to be protected from substandard products, which are harmful to their health and the environment.
Profile:
Eng. Dr. Ben Manyindo is the Executive Director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) having assumed office on 24th October 2012. He joined UNBS in 1998 rising to the level of Deputy Executive Director (Technical); having previously worked at Makerere University and Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo.
He is a first class graduate of Makerere University Faculty of Technology and a PhD holder from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
He is a registered Mechanical/Industrial Engineer with over 27 years working experience in teaching, research, consultancy and standards of which 14 years has been spent in the area of standardisation at national, regional and international levels.
At international level, he served on the Executive Committee of FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission and for three years, he was elected to the post of Vice Chairperson.
