An automobile market in Juba, South Sudan. | Photo: Courtesy

South Sudan National Bureau of Standards has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Japanese Company to inspect vehicle quality and block the importation of junk and radioactive automobiles.

EAA Japan is an independent organization holding contracts with both government and non-government organizations around the world.

It provides services such as structural, mechanical and safety inspections, road-worthiness inspections, vehicle photo service, radioactive contamination assessment and vehicle valuation and appraisals among others.

The deal that it signed with South Sudan on Tuesday, June 27, is for the inspection and testing of vehicles imported to the country to ensure they are of high quality.

SSNBS Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mary Gordon Muortat, said the lack of checking for imported vehicles has made the country a dumping ground for cars.

She attributed the number of abandoned broken cars on the roadsides and homes to that effect.

“We have been experience dumping of cars in the country and this dumping happened as a result of the lack of a company that checks and confirm the quality and standard of the cars imported to the country,” said Ms. Muortat.

“We have a number of cars along roadsides and houses broken down without repaire. This is one of the reasons why we need this company to test the cars that will be imported to the country.”

“This is the responsibility and mandate of National Bureau of Standard to provide standard cars for the economic and health benefit of the nation.”

South Sudanese imports vehicles from the United Arab Emirates , Japan , India , United States and Thailand among others.

But the country has not imposed age limit for imported cars.

For his part, Lee Sayer, the Director General of EAA Japan said his company will focus on detecting radiation emissions from cars.

Lee Sayer spoke to the media during a visit to the National Bureau of Standard office on Tuesday.

“In our company, we believe in inspection and its our pleasure to add South Sudan,” he said.

“Radiation inspection is very important for the car that are imported to the country from Japan and particularly from United Arab Emirates.”

Cars emit a certain amount of electromagnetic radiation, which can come from various sources including the car’s electrical system, in-car wireless technologies, and the sun’s rays that penetrate through the windows.

Prolonged exposure over time could potentially have harmful effects on people’s health.

Research suggests that chronic exposure to low levels of radiation can lead to a variety of health issues, ranging from fatigue and headaches, to more serious conditions like neurological disorders and cancer.