The Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, has harped on the need for the agency to be allowed to return to the seaports.
It expressed its critical role in authenticating and preventing the influx of substandard products in Nigeria for a more impactful and sustainable future.
The Director General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke spoke on Wednesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, during the 2024 Strategic Leadership Retreat with the theme, ‘Service Optimization, Greater Effectiveness and Revenue Enhancement for a Renewed Future’.
He revealed that SON was working closely with the supervising minister to bring it back permanently to the ports to perform its constitutional duties, which, according to him, do not clash with other agencies like Customs, NAFDAC and others.
“SON must return to the ports to prevent bad products from coming into the country in the first place. It is working closely with the supervising minister to bring us back permanently at the ports,” he said.
The DG also revealed that SON, with the support of the supervising ministry, was working towards the amendment of its Act to reflect the current realities and international best practices.
He further revealed that the organisation was working in partnership with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas Project to ensure that there is availability of standard products and the implementation of the standard policy.
“It doesn’t just end with the standard, we also have to talk about the implementation. SON on its own, is collaborating with the relevant agencies, we have the Nigeria Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council, and Presidential initiative on CNG. We are all collaborating together to ensure a successful roll out of the CNG projects,” he added.
In an interview, Mrs Anietie Umoessien, Director, Industrial Inspectorate Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, said SON plays critical roles in protecting the interests of consumers, stressing that the agency must strive for excellence in service delivery.
According to her, “We want SON to be a new SON, an e-SON. A SON that has product authentication mark. The main function of SON is standardization of products and you see with the new Presidential Initiative for CNG, SON had already standardised CNG products, about 87 of them. So we would carry SON about upto the next optimal level to be able to compete with other products in the world.
“Funding is one of the major challenges of SON, so we encourage the Federal Government to give SON more funds for them to be able to carry out their assignments, like the product authentication mark is a good initiative. You have your product, authenticate it, and that is it. There will be no issue of fake iron rods, fake products, you authenticate it direct.”
Products authentication: SON pushes for a return to ports
