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TPA, TRA deny role in poor quality imports
2006-06-03 09:24:39
By Pastory Nguvu
The Tanzania Port Authority (TPA) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) have denied any involvement in facilitating importation of substandard goods that have flooded the market.
The two government agencies were categorical that verification of the quality of goods imported into the country did not fall within their dockets.
TPA was emphatic it had no legal mandate to stop importers from flooding the market with low quality goods.
Similarly, TRA cited limitations on legal jurisdiction and maintained that it required a notice before acting upon any consignment suspected to be of low quality.
The local market is now awash with substandard goods. Concern has been raised as to whether consumers are getting value for their money when they spend on goods believed to be of low quality.
Public resentment is premised on the belief that the relevant authorities are doing nothing or very little to streamline the importation process by putting in place requisite policy, regulations and quality control measures to protect consumers from substandard goods.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian in Dar es Salaam recently, an official with TPA said the authority had neither the means nor mandate to verify the quality or standard of imported goods.
Other sources, however, said inspection and quality control of locally manufactured and imported goods was the mandate of the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).
However, this could be delegated to specialised agents to undertake pre-export inspection (in the country of origin of the imported goods) and import inspection (at the port of Dar es Salaam).
’’It is not the duty of TPA to inspect the quality and standard of imported commodities.
It is not our responsibility. This can be done by Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing or Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) for products related to food and drugs,’’ said TPA Public Relations Officer Peter Milanzi.
Milanzi said TPA’s role did not entail verification of import goods with a view to establish the quality.
The work of TPA, the officer said, was confined to ensuring that goods were legally imported or exported.
However, when reached for comment a TRA top official said the revenue body only acts after receiving directives from either TBS or any other government institution responsible for certification of the quality and standards of various products.
The TRA Public Relations Manager, Protas Mmanda told The Guardian that, although TRA has a mandate to stop low quality goods from entering the country, it only acts after being requested to do so by relevant authorities.
’’We normally do that after receiving notification from competent institutions like TBS. This can demand us to stop certain products which are considered substandard.
If we do not receive any notice we are unable to take any action to stop traders from importing low quality products,” said Mmanda on telephone.
Efforts to contact the TBS Director General Daimon Mwakyembe were in vain as the TBS boss was said to be out of office on an official trip.
On Monday, this week, we reported that the country was awash with substandard goods.
Although the goods are cheap on the face value, in the long run they are dear as their durability is compromised.
This was attributed to lack of knowledge by consumers who are usually lured by the low price tag at the expense of quality and the apathy on the part of authorities charged with the responsibility of verifying the quality of imports.
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