Implementation Of Controls In Measurements – CAG Report

A proper application of Weights and Measures practices is critical in order to ensure that there is clarity and certainty about measures used. It ensures that producers, traders, and consumers are protected, and the government collects revenues entitled to it.

In recent years because of the rapid development, increased rational decisions which are supported by accurate measurement readings from digitalized measuring instruments, there has been a notable complaint from the producers and consumers concerning errors of the weight and measure due to the misbehaviors of measurement equipment. This in one way is because of weak enforcement of the regulations governing compliance to standard weights and measures. For example, in energy sector, less than 30% metrological control has been implemented such as the verification of electrical meters, natural gas meters and petroleum meters. This might deny the fair trade, restrain transparency in energy transaction and hinder the removal of barriers to trade especially in the natural gas.

Such complaints created a demand for ensuring that consumers, businesses, and manufacturers are protected from unfair practices through the application of accurate weights and measures. This Audit was motivated based on these grounds. The main Audit objective was determining whether the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) adequately implemented control activities on legal, scientific, and industrial metrology to protect consumers on issues related to measurements and whether the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIT) effectively monitored the implementation of such activities. The Audit covered four financial years 2017/2018 to 2020/21. The selected period enabled Auditors to establish trend of executed metrology activities and develop reliable conclusions