Setting Namibia’s standards

The Namibia Standards Institution’s manager for corporate communications and marketing, Mutonga Matali, chronicles the successes his organisation attained over the years. He spoke to Namibian Sun journalist Ogone Tlhage.
Ogone Tlhage (OT): What would you list as the NSI’s achievements since its inception?

Mutonga Matali (MM): The Namibian Standards Institution was established as a national standardisation body mandated to implement the four pillars of the national quality infrastructure, namely certification, standardisation, metrology, testing and inspection. This was done to ensure that Namibia attains a high level of economic performance on a global stage that yields quality goods and services and the elimination of technical barriers to trade.

The NSI has been working tirelessly to ensure that it fulfils its mandate and our biggest achievement thus far is that we attained and maintained accreditation in the following scopes:

- Testing and inspection

- Metrology

- Certification.

Further, the NSI has developed and published over 140 Namibian standards currently being used on the national and international trade markets.

This, undoubtedly, is a clear demonstration to Namibians and the international trade community of our capability to compete at the international stage and create a conducive environment for our people to engage in any technical barriers to trade.

OG: What are the NSI’s biggest strategic objectives as set out in its business plan?

Our biggest strategic objective is to increase the number of our accredited scope so that the majority of products and services in Namibia are regulated and increase trade transparency.

Further, the NSI aspires to be financially independent in the near future so that more resources can be invested in the National Quality Infrastructure.

OT: What is the NSI’s message to Namibians in light of the Independence Day celebrations coming up?

MM: As the Namibian nation celebrates its 30th independence anniversary, I wish to reiterate NSI’s unwavering commitment to continue with the development, publishing and dissemination of Namibian standards to ensure that our citizens reap benefits of standardisation. The concept of standardisation is indispensable in a country’s economy, as such, the NSI remains steadfast is its quest to ensure that the Namibian economic playground is levelled for all who are legible to make a meaningful contribution to the socio-economic growth of our nation.

OG: Anything else you’d like to add?

MM: The concept of standardisation plays a vital role in our daily engagements as standards form the basis upon which quality and safety of products and services is defined, fair competition and innovation in all businesses, achieved through ensuring consistent product and service quality. In trade, specifically, standards convey consistent, understandable and comparable information to the customer. Standards also act as a guide in the facilitation of setting accurate specifications for processes and products, increase productivity and resource utilization, enhancing competitiveness, better health and safety of consumers, and protection of the environment.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-22

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