By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has commended the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) over its renewed vigour in the fight against fake and substandard products in the country.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo gave the commendation at the commissioning of SON’s office and laboratory complex held in Ekiti State last weekend.
He said the new infrastructure marks another milestone in the country’s quest to build a new society free from substandard products being imported or manufactured locally.
“The construction and equipping of this edifice has in fact become a priority as the construction and equipping of the edifice has in fact become a priority as we gradually and systematically march towards independence and self-reliance from oil from oil to non-oil export for economic growth and development.
“Let me emphasise that no serious will engage in manufacturing of any product without first checking for regulatory compliance standards have his product pass through rigorous tweeting and quality control system to be provided in the laboratory in house in the company,” Adebayo said, adding that many Nigerian lives have been cut short as a result of substandard products.
He promised that going forward, SON will come hard on violators as the DG and management have assured the Federal Government of their resolve to tame the tide.
Adebayo assured Nigerians that SON would soon get rid of engine oil laced with sophisticated debris capable of destroying vehicle engines, fake LPG Cylinders, amongst others, from the society.
In his welcome address at the occasion, the Director General of SON, Farouk Salim, stated that the commissioning of the Ekiti permanent office and lab was in line with the agency’s new found vigour in fighting fake and substandard products in the country.
Farouk revealed that on assuming office he was confronted with a high level of infrastructural deficit “which has limited the organisation’s operations. I also met ongoing office building projects all over the country which had been embarked upon by the organisation to address the situation.”
According to Farouk, SON is currently on the path of closing the infrastructural gaps identified with the wholesale completion of offices and /lab projects, arguing that the commissioning of such facilities is in line with the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) plan.
He expressed his appreciation to the Minister and his ministry for their laudable support as enshrined in the enabling Act No.14 of 2015 establishing SON.
“For me as the CEO, I am delighted to present a very strategic Federal Government project, a brand new purpose built office and laboratory complex to the Honourable Minister, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi and the Royal Fathers for support in realizing the project, saying that it is for the benefit of the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians at large.
He posited that testing of products to relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) and International Standards by SON laboratories means products from Ekiti State and environs can compete favourably locally and through export at the international markets.
