UNBS HOSTS 7TH HOGA FORUM, MOBILIZES INTER-AGENCY SYNERGIES TO DRIVE UGANDA’S TEN-FOLD ECONOMIC GROWTH

  30th July , 2026 ,       Hits: 174

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has hosted the 7th Head of Government Agencies (HOGA) meeting at its headquarters in the Bweyogerere Industrial Area. The high-level forum brought together accounting officers and chief executives from across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to fast-track service delivery under the government’s operational directive, “Kisanja No Sleep.”

The HOGA meeting aligns with Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy—a long-term economic transformation plan aimed at expanding the national economy to $500 billion by 2040 through aggressive agro-industrialization, export competitiveness, and science-driven infrastructure.

Before the meeting, the delegation toured UNBS’s internationally accredited testing laboratories and quality control facilities, including the:

• Food Safety Laboratories: internationally accredited laboratories that test food products for consumer safety as well as safeguarding international acceptance of Uganda's agricultural exports.
• National Metrology Laboratories: Providing precision measurement standards critical for industrial manufacturing and fair trade.
• National Energy Meters Laboratory: Verifying every electricity meter before market entry to assure energy efficiency and fair trade.

Speaking during the meeting, Eng. James Kasigwa, the Executive Director of UNBS, emphasized that standardizing processes across government MDAs   is essential to achieving Uganda's macroeconomic goals.

"As the custodian of national standards, UNBS remains committed to promoting and enforcing compliance to standards to guarantee product quality, consumer safety, and fair trade," emphasizing the need to foster inter-agency ecosystem where quality isn't just a regulatory mandate, but a culture that is embedded across every value chain."

Addressing recent public concerns regarding short-weight building materials, Eng. Kasigwa reassured the nation on regulatory oversight and shared accountability;

"We have engaged certified cement manufacturers nationwide to ensure strict adherence to relevant weight and safety standards requirements.”

However, recent UNBS market surveillance reports indicate that instances of underweight cement often stem from unauthorized tampering, siphoning, or repackaging during transit and retail. Eliminating these illicit practices requires a synchronized effort from all stakeholders; regulators, security agencies and the consumers; “Every player across the value chain should demand for and deliver quality products." Eng. Kasigwa noted.

 Ms. Jane Kyarisima Mwesiga, the Deputy Head of Public Service in charge of Performance & Service Delivery, commended UNBS for using international accreditation to position Ugandan products competitively on local and global markets.

She highlighted that HOGA's primary mandate is to enforce high-impact performance, strict accountability, and rapid execution of services across all public sector institutions.

"Government’s deliberate investments in state-of-the-art quality infrastructure—such as the accredited laboratories witnessed here at UNBS is fundamental to industrialization," Ms. Kyarisima remarked.

She called upon Ugandans to embrace Standards as a catalyst for export-led growth and sustainable socio-economic transformation.

About HOGA

The Heads of Government Agencies (HoGA) meeting is a quarterly coordination forum that brings together public sector leaders to improve inter-agency collaboration and streamline government service delivery.

HoGA meetings coordinated by the by the Office of the Prime Minister   are intended to improve government service delivery across all government departments and held on a quarterly basis rotating among different MDAs.

About UNBS

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards is a government agency mandated to develop, promote and enforce standards to protect public health, safety, and the environment as well as ensure fairness in trade and precision in industry through reliable measurement systems.