CEPO Director Edmund Yakani | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio.

The President of the East African Civil Society Organization’s Forum is set to award the National Bureau of Standards on Wednesday for its bold stance to cleanse the market of unhealthy foods.

The regional civil society leader is now urging South Sudan regional lawmakers to support the institution and raise a motion on the alleged exportation of expired, counterfeit, and substandard goods to the country.

Edmond Yakani is reacting to the recent crackdown by the National Bureau of Standards on imported expired goods being sold in the South Sudan market.

On Thursday, the NBS confiscated 10, 000 tons of expired and poorly stocked food items from different market points in Juba and razed them to protect the health of consumers.

The items include wheat flour, oil, maize flour, and beverages.

Mr. Yakani who is also the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment Progress Organization has commended the steps NBS has taken and called on the lawmakers to provide oversight on dealing with the supply of food, goods, and services to the country.

“National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in our country is saving national security interest and standing firm for the safety and protection of the citizens from consumption of any expired, counterfeit, and substandard goods is a great step of saving national security purpose,

“Chief Executive Officer Mary Gordon, well done and CEPO will extend Certificate of Recognition as Honest Civil Servant of the Year 2023 on 26^th July 2023 in your office at 12 noon.”

The civil society activist also suggests that the country’s lawmakers in East Africa Community Legislative Assembly raise a motion for deliberation on the matter stressing that is a national security.

He also urges the leadership of the country to urgently hold East African Community members’ states deliberations on the role of the EAC member states National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in saving regional security interests through the prevention of such unhealthy practices.

“CEPO is waiting to hear from our Council of Ministers next meeting dated 27^th July 2023 their position on South Sudan hosting EAC member state National Bureau of Standards (NBS) conference on best practices for the safety and security of EAC citizens as the supply of food, goods, and other services is concerned,” he said.

He further appealed to the Ministry of East Africa Community Affairs in the Republic of South Sudan to raise up and bring this issue for serious decision-making deliberations in East African Community gathering.