By: Uakutura Kambaekua
Trade and industrialisation minister Lucis Iipumbu says the newly opened Namibia Standards Institution (NSI) facility in Walvis Bay provides for adequate space to conduct frozen and chilled fish inspections, as it is equipped with both a sensory and cans inspection laboratory.
The inspection centre was fully funded by government through the trade ministry at the cost of N$36 million.
The construction of the building commenced last year in July under one of the government’s multi-million dollar investments.
During the official inauguration yesterday, Iipumbu described the completion of the centre as a remarkable milestone, which underscores the government’s unyielding resolve to place Namibia in a convenient position within the framework of producing quality products destined for international markets.
She said that the inspection centre has expanded its operations and ability to offer services to the fishing and related industries because of the large size and suitability of the inspection laboratory.
“Adequate space means the inspectorate can process a much more diverse product range and process an increased quantity of products, thus allowing the NSI to move beyond frozen fish inspection as its central focus,” said Iipumbu.
Furthermore, the minister mentioned that In May, the European Union funded the “Support to the Namibian Standards Institution and the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade” project to render technical support in areas of standardisation, certification, trade and industry. Upon completion, the project will capacitate the inspection centre with technological compatible equipment to advance its operations to increase Namibia’s trade capacity and prospects.
In addition, the new NSI facility houses a satellite metrology laboratory that will be operationalised once the necessary equipment has been sourced. Iipumbu said that once the equipment has been achieved, businesses in the Erongo region that require measurement services will be serviced for volume and mass metrology services from the metrology laboratory.
Moreover, the trade minister announced her contentment with the completion of the project, which local contractors fully completed.
“It is pleasing to note that the project involved Namibians from start to finish as it was conceived by Namibians, designed and built by local companies, and now is being operated by Namibians for the good of the Nation,” noted Iipumbu.
She also reiterated the government’s commitment to its quest to empower local businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, with the necessary skills and platforms required to grow their businesses.
The Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) serves as Namibia’s sole National Standards Body (NSB), National Metrology Institute (NMI) and Certification Body (CB) in charge of coordinating all trade-related standardisation and quality assurance activities within the country. The institution provides conformity assessment services, testing, inspection, certification and metrology for selected products and services to assist manufacturers with consumer protection as well as accessing local and global markets.
