The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Nura Abba Rimi, has charged the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to ensure excellent service delivery in all standardization.
Rimi gave the charge while delivering a keynote address at the 2024 Leadership retreat for management staff of SON in Uyo on Wednesday.
Represented at the event by Dr Anietie Umoessien, Director, Industrial Inspectorate Department, Remi reminded participants at the retreat that SON plays critical role in protecting the interests of consumers, stressing that they must strive for excellence in all activities.
Tribune reports that the theme of the retreat is; “Service Optimization, Greater Effectiveness, and Revenue Enhancement for a Renewed Future.”
She said the theme was apt as it marks a significant milestone in the collective journey towards advancing the standards terrain in Nigeria.
Rimi added that the theme reflects the Federal Government’s commitment towards President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“As we converge under the guiding theme of “SON – Service optimization, greater effectiveness and revenue enhancement for a renewed future.
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“We are reminded of the critical roles the Standards Organisation of Nigeria plays in protecting the interests of consumers, promoting industrial growth, revenue generation and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
“It is imperative for us to continuously strive for excellence, innovation and relevance in our pursuit of these objectives,” Rimi said.
Rimi urged SON management to foster the culture of collaboration, creativity to unlock the full potential expected of the organisation to enhance economic growth and development of the nation.
Earlier, the Director General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said the organisation was committed to ensuring excellence in all standardization.
He noted that standard organisation of Nigeria has a mission to uphold standards, promote quality, and ensure the safety of products in Nigeria.
“Upon assumption of duty, we considered the following as our development Agenda for the
Organisation (The 7-point Agenda):
1. Enhancing Standards Development
2. Strengthening Regulatory Enforcement
3. Improving SON Laboratory Capacity
4. Supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
5. Promoting Trade
6. Automation of System and Processes and
7. Staff Welfare & Capacity Building”. He enumerated.
He continued: “over the next few days, we will engage in meaningful discussions, share insights, and
collaborate on initiatives that will shape the future of our Organisation.
“I encourage you all to actively participate, exchange ideas, and contribute your expertise towards our shared goal of
service excellence and organisational growth.
“Let us reflect on the journey that has brought us to
this point and the opportunities that lie ahead. This retreat provides us with a unique platform
to align our strategies, enhance our service delivery, and explore innovative ways to generate
revenue for a sustainable future.
I hope that at the end of this retreat, we will have outlined an action plan for leadership excellence”.
According to him, the plan will include specific initiatives, timelines, and responsibilities to ensure the
implementation of learnings from this retreat.
He said that the retreat provides unique platform to align strategies, enhance service delivery, and explore innovative ways to generate revenue for a sustainable future.
“Together, we will explore strategies to elevate our leadership capabilities and foster a culture of excellence within the SON.
“To strengthen our leadership capabilities, we will focus on key areas such as strategic thinking, effective communication, change management, and fostering innovation.
“These skills are vital for navigating the dynamic landscape of standards and regulations while driving continuous improvement and organisational growth,” Okeke said.
