The Ministry of Trade and Industry Sanjay Tanna emphasized the need for stringent measures to ensure quality cement is delivered to end consumers.
Tanna says hardware shops as key players in the adulteration and underweighting of cement, following numerous consumer complaints about bags containing less than the advertised 50 kilograms.
He reassured the public that cement is thoroughly measured and quality-checked at the manufacturing stage, with weighbridges employed throughout the distribution chain.he however pointed out that issues arise post-distribution, particularly at hardware shops, which are allegedly involved in both adulterating and underweighing cement products.
“We have realized that the hardware shops are the ones involved in adulterating and underweighing,” Tanna stated.
To combat this, the Minister urged hardware shops and agents to provide weighing scales, allowing consumers to verify the quantity of cement they purchase.
He also highlighted an alarming trend where individuals buy used cement bags from construction sites, which are then repurposed for repackaging inferior quality cement.
“The people from UNBS carried out a very major operation after our meeting at the ministry and we have found out that there is a group of people who go and buy these empty bags from construction sites,” Tanna noted, emphasizing the ongoing enforcement efforts against such practices.
Tanna has encouraged consumers to be vigilant when purchasing cement, advising them to weigh bags to confirm they contain the correct amount.
“Once it leaves the distributor’s point, we have realized that the hardware shops are the ones involved in adulterating and underweighing,” he reiterated.
Additionally, he advised consumers to buy cement only from designated distributors and to verify the weight before accepting delivery.
Uganda has five active major cement manufacturing companies namely Simba Cement,Hima Cement,Tororo Cement,Yaobai Cement and Metro Cement plus additional plants under development
