By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Ministry of Works and Transport has commissioned a regional Materials Testing Laboratory in Karamoja.
While commissioning the Laboratory on Tuesday, 21st May, 2024, the State Minister for Works, Musa Ecweru said the Lab will provide materials testing and quality control to curb the use of substandard materials in the construction Industry.
The Laboratory is located at Namatwea Village, Nadunget Sub-County, Moroto District.
The Lab will provide materials testing and quality control services to the construction industry in Karamoja Sub-region. Previously contractors had to travel over 300km to Mbale and Kampala for materials testing.
Ecweru says the Lab was constructed by Minsitry of Works and Transport and fully funded by the government of Uganda adding that it will support the nascent cement manufacturing industry and other manufacturing entities that are upcoming in the region, with testing services.
It is one of the projects under NDPlll implementing a 5 year project to strengthen the Construction industry. The construction works commenced on 13 January 2022 and were substantially completed on 7th November 2023 on a contract awarded to M/S King Albert Constructions Ltd.
The contract is currently under defects liability period of 1 year where the contractor is required to remedy any defects that may arise.
In compliance with national or international standards, Materials Testing Laboratories test the quality of various imported goods and locally manufactured products against the requirements of the standards.
The Engineer in Chief, Eng Bagonza represented the Permanent Secretary Mr, Bageya at the Commissioning Ceremony of the Moroto Materials Testing Laboratory.
Eng Bagonza noted that the Laboratory will serve the construction industry in the Karamoja Sub-Region and other neighbouring Districts since existing laboratories are located far away from this region.
He revealed that the Laboratory is well placed and capacitated to effectively test construction materials to ensure suitability for construction purposes and identify and map construction materials sources in the region.
In the execution of the above functions, the laboratory will also generate non-tax revenue for government.
Materials Testing Laboratory carries out various tests on different building and engineering materials to evaluate their compliance to standards.
Testing of samples of building and engineering materials is carried out to safeguard the interest of both the consumer and producer; and assure the quality of goods purchased.
Some of the materials and products tested by the laboratory include; Cement and lime, plain and corrugated iron sheets (galvanised and pre-painted), Reinforcement steel bars and structural steel, Burnt clay bricks, concrete blocks and pre-cast paving blocks, Manhole covers, Wires and wire products, Sands and aggregates, Roofing tiles, Damp proof course, Product particle size analysis, and Window stays and fasteners. Door locks.
