Tanzania: 13 Local Companies Now Manufacture Weighing Scales

By Hilda Mhagama

WEIGHT and Measures Agency (WMA) has empowered 13 local companies to produce easily acquired mechanical weighing scales, which are cheap to the public.

WMA Surveillance Manager, Mr Almachius Pastory told 'Daily News' in an interview that was part of the agency's role to enable the local manufacturers to become sustainable in business with machines locally manufactured instead of expensive ones imported from abroad.

He said the agency has also provided them with skills and trainings, underway to empower more companies to continue supporting the locals.

A mechanical scale is a weighing device that is used to measure the mass, force exertion, tension and resistance of an object without the need for a power supply.

Types of mechanical scale include spring scales, hanging scales, triple beam balances and force gauges.

This year, he said the agency has enabled one factory to start manufacturing check pump equipment used to verify fuel dispensing pump for checking the delivery of the quantity delivered before the device was imported.

"To date, the company can produce 30 machines per month, which meet international standards in the sense that we can export and increase national revenue and capacity for domestic industries," he said WMA is an executive agency responsible for consumer protection through verification of weights and measures in Tanzania mainland.

The Mandate of WMA is to protect consumers concerning legal metrological control which includes legal control of measuring instruments, metrological supervision and metrological expertise in trade, health, safety and environment.

The agency had also introduced a toll-free number 0800110097 which enables whistleblowers to give them information whenever they find some businesspeople whose temper with weigh scales, and use it whenever they needed advice on issues related to weight and measurements.

Section 340 of the Weights and Measures Act, 2002 which was revised in 2016 required them to verify and certify weighing scales used in businesses to ensure fairness.