The Standard Organisation of Nigeria says it’s absence at the entry points into the country is responsible for the presence of substandard goods in our market.
Mallam Farouk Salim, FPSN, the DG/CE of SON disclosed this in Calabar during a stakeholders sensitization forum.
The one day sensitisation had as theme: SON: Partners in Progress for Business boom via standardisation.
Usman Mohammed, the director of the South/South Region of SON who spoke on behalf of Mallam Salim said this lapse makes it difficult to control the entry of these goods into our markets.
“Most of these substandard goods get into the country either through the ports or borders and the government in it’s wisdom some years back decided to take SON out of the seaport which is the entry point.
“If you are not there at the seaports where all these things come in, how will you be able to control it, that means you will start running after it in the town which makes it very difficult.
“If we are at the entry point, it makes it very easy to nip it at the board.
“However, government is considering taking us back to the port and a large number of substandard products will be prevented from getting into the country”, he said.
He added that the aim of the sensitization is to enlighten manufacturers in Cross River State on the need to adhere to the requirements of standards.
Also speaking, Richard Adewumi, the director of marketing at SON, said that about 400 firms in the country have received the Management Systems Certification.
“In Nigeria today, about 400 companies in Nigeria have received the Management Systems Certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
“What this does is that any organisation that subscribes to that we are sure they have put in place proper management Systems in line with the requirements of the standards”, he said.
Also speaking, Chief Emeka Duru, the Senior Special Adviser to the DG/CE and national coordinator of sensitisation programmes said a platform like this is used to interface with stakeholders and create awareness so that businesses can move forward.
He added that without the stakeholders SON does not exist and the platform will also help in implementing best practices and minimizing wastes.
On his part, Engr. Ninma Apim, the Cross River State coordinator of SON said the sensitization is aimed at harmonizing services and facilities to produce quality goods.
He added that it will provide a benchmark for regulating the overall performance of the industry in order to compete globally, thereby providing confidence to customers.
In his words, “Compliance to the specification of the NIS is a sure bet to increased patronage in the industry. Customers’ satisfaction leads to increase in productivity and this further leads to increase in turn-over, which leads to high profit, employment, wealth creation, economic growth and development of Nigeria”, he said.
Usen Umoh, a representative from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria said said MAN will continue to partner with SON to ensure that locally manufactured goods are always up to standard.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
