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SON COUNCIL PROMISES GREATER EFFICIENCY May 18, 2009 |
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The recently inaugurated Governing Council of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria is determined to position the Organisation to be more efficient and effective in the discharge of its duties to Nigerians particularly in combating the scourge of importation of substandard and unwholesome goods into the country. The Chairman of the Council, Dr. Samuel Ortom reiterated the Council’s resolve after its maiden meeting held at the Lagos Operational office Lekki following its recent inauguration by the Hon. Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chief Achike Udenwa. According to him SON will be strengthened as an organization that will not only cater for the well-being of Nigerians by ensuring that only high quality and certified products are imported into the Country, but will also ensure that SON is well positioned to meet the target of taking the nation to higher standard through the certification of all locally manufactured products. Dr. Ortom promised that Council will do everything within available resources to assist the organization in its drive to rid the nation of fake and sub standard goods and advised Nigerians particularly, those in the business of importing and manufacturing unwholesome products to look else where as there will be no hiding place any more. The Council Chairman stated that corruption will not be condoned either from staff or the larger society, adding that Council will work closely with all relevant stakeholders including the security agencies to achieve the mandate given to the organization. While conducting the Council members round some seized sub-standard products including motor vehicle tyres, auto wind screens, pvc cables, electric bulbs, LPG Cylinders, Shoes, Bic biro pen etc the Director General, Dr. John Akanya noted that the introduction of Standards Organization of Nigeria off-shore Conformity Assessment Program (SONCAP) has substantially minimized the level of importation of sub standard products into the country but quickly added that a lot still needs to be done since standard is a journey that has no end. Dr. Akanya stated that it is painful that SON has to destroy goods already paid for by Nigerians with our hard earned foreign exchange in order to protect the lives and properties of the larger society from the dangers posed by such products brought in by unpatriotic Nigerians and their foreign collaborators. The Director General then advised Nigerians to join SON in the fight against the scourge of substandard goods importation and manufacture by desisting from the shameful act as there is no other country we can call our own, except Nigeria. |
