Tanzania in new push against counterfeit goods

Dar es Salaam. The proliferation of bogus factories is dealing a severe blow to genuine manufacturers, the government said on Monday and asked members of the business community to form a united front against the problem.

Industry and Trade permanent secretary Hashil Abdallah made the remarks in Dar es Salaam after a presentation by the Fair Competition Commission (FCC), which showed that most of the counterfeit products it impounds are seized from wayward factories.

“The enemy may be among us because every example I heard at this symposium involved a factory. There is a need to redouble our efforts to end this problem once and for all for the sake of our industries,” he said.

Dr Abdallah was speaking during a symposium on combating counterfeit goods to safeguard consumers and enhance the competitiveness of industries in Tanzania.

The Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) organised the event, which preceded its annual general meeting.

According to Dr Abdallah, those engaging in counterfeiting are sabotaging the CTI’s vision and the government’s goal of promoting industrialisation.

In her presentation, FCC anti-counterfeits director Khadija Ngasongwa said it is important for the government, members of the private sector, including the CTI, and other business stakeholders to unite and expose the perpetrators of counterfeiting so that industries that manufacture genuine products can thrive.

“People involved in counterfeiting are adversely affecting genuine manufacturers and this is, by extension, having a negative impact on the nation’s economy,” she said.

Ms Ngasongwa added that anybody who comes across what they think could be a wayward factory should immediately contact the FCC so that the commission can conduct investigations to determine whether the facility is operating legally or not.

“Unfortunately, many people don’t volunteer such information. Providing information is very important in the fight against counterfeits. It is the responsibility of each one of us because we are all affected by counterfeit goods that find their way into the market.”

Ms Ngasongwa said several people suspected of dealing in counterfeit goods have been arrested in wayward factory locations in various parts of the country.

In Mbeya, for instance, the FCC came across a bogus factory that was purportedly producing agricultural pesticides, but which was actually using paracetamol – an over-the-counter painkiller – as an ingredient.

The FCC impounded the factory, but its operator fled and is being sought.

“Paracetamol tablets were being ground and the powder dyed blue so that it looked like some popular genuine pesticides in the market,” Ms Ngasongwa said.

CTI chairman Paul Makanza said regulations currently in force do not compel all factory owners to be members of the confederation, making industrial monitoring a major challenge.

“One of the challenges we are facing is the lack of a policy or regulation that makes it mandatory for factory owners to be CTI members. If there was such a policy or rule, monitoring would have been much easier,” he said.