By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –

THE Zambia Weights and Measures Agency (ZWMA) has signed two contracts worth K1, 148 million and K1, 694 million for the construction of a weighbridge and support infrastructure in Ndola.
In 2014, ZWMA verified a total of 24,578 trade measuring instruments as compared to 15,541 instruments verified in 2013.
This meant that the Agency verified a total 9,937 representing a 58 per cent increase.
ZWMA chief executive officer Himba Cheelo said the two contracts valued at K1, 148,207 and K1, 693,860 were signed for the construction of a weighbridge and support infrastructure to be used for the calibration and verification of tanker trucks in Ndola.
The core mandate of the Agency is to regulate all local and international trade measurements in the country.
Ms Cheelo said the above function was executed by metrologists and that the ZWMA was enforcing the verification of instruments such as scales found in butcheries and bakeries, luggage weighing instruments at airports and liquid fuel dispensers at filling stations, bulk flow meters in fuel depots and airport refuellers.
“The importance of using verified measuring instruments cannot be overemphasized. The benefits are for both the trader and the consumer.
The trader is reassured of the fact that his product is correct in terms of weights or volume and therefore he is protected against unnecessary loses,” she said.
Ms Cheelo said in an interview that in 2014, the Agency bought a second motor vehicle test truck used for the verification of weighbridges.
This truck was procured with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) at the cost of K600, 000.
She said the test truck was currently being used by the northern region. Apart from that, the electricity meter test bench for verification of domestic and industrial meters was installed in 2014 at the Ndola office and was ready for use.
She said the electricity meter test bench was procured at a cost of over K800, 000 by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, which would help ensure the accuracy of an electricity meter.
She explained that at moment electricity meter verification was not being done because the existing Statutory Instrument (SI) number 22 of 1998 did not mandate ZWMA to do so.
However, the draft Statutory Instrument to amend this regulation was finalized and submitted to the Ministry of Justice.
“Once the legal process has been concluded, the Zambia Weights and Measures Agency will commence verification of all electricity meters in the country,” she said.
The Agency faced challenges such as continued low staffing levels, inadequate work space especially for Lusaka employees and lack of adequate transport in the first part of the year which greatly hampered effective operations for metrologists.