By Saio Marrah
In celebration of World Metrology Day, the Metrology department of Sierra Leone Standard Bureau (SLSB) has launched its new Mass Metrology Laboratory that will be used for measurement of products in the country with the theme “Measurement for Health.”
In his statement at the launch at the SLSB office in Freetown on Thursday the 27th May, 2021, the Executive Director of SLSB, Professor Thomas B.R. Yormah, said the commemoration is focusing on the need to popularize the nexus between standard quality and development. He said the other key issue is integrity and reliability of measurement.
“Today, I want to speak on two key issues. One the need to popularize nexus between standard quality and development, another key issue I want to highlight is the integrity and reliability of measurement.” he said.
He said as an institution charged with the responsibility of managing standard informed quality issues, he said they have to teach the public about standards of products and that a report on the national quality infrastructure indicate poor national quality structure.
“Sierra Leone Standard Bureau being in charge of managing standard informed quality issues, they have to inculcate the habit of preaching the standard and quality message, you have to know that the recent diagnostic study done on the national quality infrastructure in the country tells a very sad story. Our National Quality Infrastructure is weak, fragmented, fragile, and that calls for action”,Prof. Yormah stated.
He pointed out that the commemoration was to mark an agreement on a single unit of measurement and this is important because what one measures in Sierra Leone should be the same measurement in every part of the world, known as uniformity of measurement.
He said the Laboratory is only operated by professionally trained staff of the Standard Bureau and hoped the new equipment will address the many complaints from the public on product quality.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Edward Hinga Sandy (PHD), in his keynote address highlighted the importance of measurement as it is useful even in testing the efficacy of the COVID-19. He said it also applies to the virus, as measurement helps to know the amount of virus that makes up the corona strain.
He also added that government has passed into law Consumer Protection Agency that is complementing the work of Standard Bureau. He however said that whoever is caught in falsifying measurement of product will be brought before the law.
He also disclosed that the ministry is about to start issuing ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Certificates that will allow those producing in Sierra Leone to be able to sell to other ECOWAS countries.
The minister said measurement is crucial in every aspect of life. He however stressed that what is more crucial is the accuracy of the measurement. He said the accuracy of measurement stems from the integrity and honesty of the measurer and the measuring paraphernalia.
He said the importance of the current drive by the Standard Bureau is to make sure that the public gets value for money. He also added that measurement is not just important to Standard Bureau, but in business as well without which he said Sierra Leone cannot be able to compete with the sub- region and the rest of the world in terms of trade.
World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of 17 nations. The Convention sets the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal applications.
The project is being supported by United Nation Industrial Organization (UNIDO) EU and WHO.
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