March 19, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
Cross-section of Members of Parliament yesterday the 18th March, vehemently criticized the ineptitude of Standards Bureau in terms of weak enforcement of their mandate in consumer protection. They accused them of risking the lives of Sierra Leoneans especially when it comes to allowing the flow of expired foods and substandard sachet waters posing health risks to citizens.
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara noted that, Sierra Leoneans are living on a time bomb and that disease and germ infested food and water can so easily be contracted owing to lapses in the work of the Standards Bureau.
He added that even mobility which capacitates the movement of Standards Bureau in their quest of vetting substandard goods is not visible within the agency.
He added that the laboratory of the Standards Bureau is in a very horrendous state and also the personnel of the agency for the entire country is ninety including cleaners. He wondered as to when last Standards Bureau tests the food people eat in the country.
He furthered that Standards Bureau also lacks the capacity and gadgets to do sampling of the standards of sachet water and often relies on the very owner of the factories or the production center to bring in the sample for standards Bureau which he considered as a shame and a potential risk for the country.
“This is a shame and this is a time bomb for the lives of our people who cannot test the quality of what they eat or drink anymore. We don’t even know if the gas station we go and what they pump into our vehicles and the calibration of those machines are appropriate. It is so sad. Inasmuch as we say the EDSA affects us, this equally affects us the more”, he said.
The Deputy Leader of Government Business Hon. Bashiru Silike underscored the seriousness in the issue raised by Hon. Abdual Karim Kamara regarding the ineptitude of Standards Bureau and advised that the issue should not be brought under (SO 23). He affirmed that if the department in question (Standards Bureau) is not strengthened, their lives and the lives of the people are not safe. He further advised that a motion be moved so that they could summon the Leadership of Standards Bureau to face the Committee on Trade in order to answer to questions regarding their ineptitude towards consumer protection.
Addressing the issue raised by the Honorable Member, the Speaker Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu therefore remitted the matter to the Committee on Trade so that they could make a thorough investigation on it and adequately report to Parliament. Allied to the topic of discussion, Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu also intimated that the House of Parliament has also passed a Consumer Protection Act which was specifically designed to protect the consumers against the issue raised by Hon. Kamara. He concluded by given a two weeks’ timeline for the Committee on Trade to investigate the matter and report to Parliament.