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Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Maize millers and traders in Luwero town council have pleaded with Uganda National Bureau of Standards-UNBS to extend the deadline for certification saying they are ill-prepared.
UNBS issued an ultimatum of June 30th this year for maize millers and maize flour traders to secure standard certification for their products. Maize millers without standard certification face closure.
This was after the government intensified efforts to fight poor quality maize products for both the local and export markets. It’s reported that poor quality maize products pose a great danger to health and may contain high levels of aflatoxins which cause cancer of the liver.
However, none of the millers or traders in Wobulenzi and Luwero town councils have secured the standard certification as the deadline looms. There are over 50 maize millers in the towns.
Karooli Kisitu, the Director of God’s Mercy Grain Millers in Luwero town says that he applied to UNBS for the standard certification but he abandoned the process after learning he had not met the requirements.
Karooli says that according to UNBS, he needed to tile the floor and partition the building hosting the grain milling machines among other requirements that he couldn’t afford.
Karooli says that he was hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic and he has no money to put up requirements before he is certified.
Robert Ssebugenyi, the chairperson of Luwero Maize Millers’ Association says that each miller may need over 50 Million Shillings to redesign their buildings and put up requirements so as UNBS can certify their products.
Ssebugenyi says that currently, they can’t raise such money in a short time and pleaded with UNBS to extend the deadline for at least a year.
Charles Tukamushaba, the Director of Lenient Offspring Grain Millers said that UNBS should have worked with the Ministry of Agriculture to enforce the standards from farmers where they buy the maize before they engage the millers and traders.
Magid Ssabwe, a maize trader in Luwero town says that there is a lot of laxity among farmers during and after harvest which contributes to contamination. Ssabwe says that without enforcing standards from farmers, the fight targeting millers may not create impact.
Speaking at the meeting with maize millers at Luwero Diocese Guesthouse in Luwero town on Wednesday, Andrew Othieno, the Manager Standards at Uganda National Bureau of Standards says that the extension of the deadline may not be possible because the government can’t look on as the millers continue to feed people on maize flour which contains aflatoxin.
Othieno added that the millers should start by working on hygiene as they mobilize resources to put up other requirements for standard certification.
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