FG vows to punish peddlers of substandard products
Federal Government (FG) has vowed to deal decisively with both foreign and local merchants of life-threatening products in the country in order to stop their quest of making Nigeria a dumping ground for such goods.
Government warns such fraudsters who produce and distribute substandard goods in the country to desist from their heinous acts, or face arrest and prosecution as the expanded Act of 2015 gives the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) the powers to arrest, confiscate such goods and prosecute offenders for violating the laws relating to standard of goods and services in the country.
Speaking at the official commissioning of SON’s office complex and laboratory in Ekiti State over the weekend, minister of industry, trade and investment,, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, disclosed that FG is now more determined to fight such products and their peddlers to a standstill using modern technologies and world-class infrastructures and laboratories.
Adebayo disclosed that before now, FG was pained that hundreds of thousands of Nigerian lives have been cut short as a result of substandard and life-threatening products peddled around the country.
Such products, the minister listed, include poor steel and roofing sheets, adulterated lubricants, explosion from continuous usage of old and expired Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, fire hazards from substandard electrical cables and retreaded vehicular tyres.
“SON has recorded significant achievements in the prosecution of offenders in the past years and more arrests and prosecution are on the way especially for foreign nationals and their Nigerian collaborators who try to turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for substandard products.
“With such situation as expressed above, .the commissioning of SON building could not have come at a better time than now as this will not only expand the activities of the organization from the state capital to all Local Government Areas (LGAs), it will also reduce the cost and turnaround time for investments as against transporting product samples to SON laboratory facilities in Lagos and Enugu”, Adebayo stressed.
He further stated that the construction and the equipping of the Ekiti edifice has in fact become a priority as the nation gradually and systematically march towards independence and self reliance from oil to non-oil exports for economic growth and development, emphasizing that no serious investor will engage in manufacturing of any product without checking for regulatory compliance to standards.
The minister expressed FG’s appreciation to the efforts of Mallam Farouk, the Director-General/CEO of SON whom he says has worked tirelessly to see to the timely completion of the office complex and laboratory in Ekiti State, while commending the organization for its initiative in signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with state governments on the development of and growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
He urged SON to ensure diligent implementation of the terms of the agreement.
In his welcome address at the occasion, the DG of SON, Mallam Farouk, stated that the commissioning of the Ekiti permanent office and lab is in line with the agency’s new found vigor in fighting fake and substandard products in the country.
Farouk expressed his delight over the official commissioning of the Office andLaboratory.Complex.in the state, promising that SON is now more determined than ever to fight the menace.
In few weeks I took over the mantle of leadership at SON. I was confronted with a high level of infrastructural deficit which has limited the organisations operations. I also met ongoing office building projects aeound the country which had been embarked upon by the organisation to address the situation. He posited
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.
Ekiti, SON partnership will fight substandard goods, boost economic development – Gov Fayemi
Ekiti State Government has promised to reach an agreement with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to wage war against fake and substandard products in order to boost economic development in the state.
Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, dropped this hint in his remarks at the commissioning of SON office complex and laboratory held in the state yesterday saying that partnering with SON is in line with his administration’s resolve to get rid of life threatening products in Ekiti
He explained that the full presence of the Organization would complement the Economic Plan of the state government, urging companies and business owners to establish in the state as they stand to gain from favorable government policies and the SON modern facility in the state.
According to him, the Inauguration of the office and laboratory complex would boost socio-economic development and increase trade and Investment opportunity in the state.
“Ekiti people are known for maintaining standard when it comes to products and services.
“We will not compromise standard and we are going to continue to support SON in it’s regulatory responsibility, the governor stressed.
In his welcome address at the occasion, the Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim expressed joy over the commissioning of the Ekiti permanent office and lab in line with the agency’s new found vigor in fighting fake and substandard products in the country
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.
SON he stated will be glad to into partnership with Ekiti State with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME).
“This is to effectively provide tailor made solutions through implementation of standards and codes of practices for value addition through quality assurance and good manufacturing practices,” he said.
He stressed 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, especially with the ongoing implementation of the AfCTA agreement
The SON helmsman further stated that the new office and laboratory complex will reposition standardization and quality assurance activities in the state with a view to creating the enabling environment for investments and production of goods and services to thrive.
He thanked Governor Kayode Fayemi for donating laboratory equipment and an additional operational vehicle to enhance SON’s reach and technical assistance to all the nooks and crannies of the State
Fight against substandard goods gets boost as SON commissions’ world-class lab in Ekiti
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) gets a nod from the Federal Government over the agency’s renewed vigor 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, stated that 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 emphasized, 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 SOON will soon get rid of engine oil laced with sophisticated debris capable of destroying vehicle engine, fake LPG Cylinders, amongst others, from the society.
In his welcome address at the occasion, the Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk stated that the commissioning of the Ekiti permanent office and lab is in line with the agency’s new found vigor in fighting fake and substandard products in the country.
Farouk expressed his delight over the official commissioning of the Office andLaboratory.Complex.in the state, promising that SON is now more determined than ever to fight the menace.
He revealed that in few weeks of his took over the mantle of leadership at SON. “I was confronted with a high level of infrastructural deficit which has limited the organisations operations. I also met ongoing office building projects all und the country which had been embarked upon by the organisation to address the situation. He posited
According to Farouk, SON is currently on the path of closing the infrastructural gaps identified with the wholesale completion ofoffices 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 posits 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, especially with the ongoing implementation of the AfCTA agreement.
He promised that in the coming weeks and months, SON shall be commissioning new offices with laboratories and be going into strategic partnership with state governments to lay the foundation stones on landed properties across the nation.
