LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has emphasised the need for media in the country to report effectively on standards for quality of good and services.
This is the reason MBS in conjunction with Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi organised two day training on standards and quality reporting this week in the capital Lilongwe.
The training which attracted media personnel from electronic, print and online houses aimed at equipping them with knowledge of the mandate and operations of the MBS in ensuring the standards and quality of products and services.
MBS Acting Director General Thomas Senganimalunje said the media must be able to isolate and understand that there are several regulators in the country who operate in different spaces.
Senganimalunje emphasized the need for media to understand fully the operation of MBS while fighting counterfeit products on the market .
“Our work is quite technical in nature, and the media has the skills to present the information in a manner that is easy to understand by the general public.”
“MBS is there to help all manufacturers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), certify their goods and help the industry trade locally and internationally hence the media must take the gospel truth for our easy working relationship.
“Where we have issues of non-compliance, the general public does report to us, and we do take action like closing shops, disposing of goods, and imposing fines. So help us to spread this information to the public,” appeals Senganimalunje.
He however urged the general public to report standards and quality-related malpractices to the MBS directly through Facebook, Twitter, email, a toll-free number (462) that Airtel can access, TNM and other telecom providers.
MISA Malawi Chapter Vice Chairperson Mandy Pondani therefore lauded MBS for timely training saying will improve quality of reporting amongst its membership.
The MBS was established with mandate to promote metrology, standardization and quality assurance of commodities and their manufacturing, production, processing or treatment of the foregoing and among others.