Importers under the umbrella of Automobile Manufacturers/Importers Association of Nigeria In Nnewi, Anambra State has applauded itself for being the highest revenue generators to the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in South East region of the country.
The Nnewi President of the Association, Chief Austin Emmanuel Jideofor disclosed this in an interview with Journalists at the closed of a one-day sensitization workshop organised by SON in Awka, on Thursday.
Jideofor said under my watch, association has generated a lot of revenue to SON, because our members understood the importance of product registration and certificate of brand names. We also rented accommodation for the organisation and for the past years we have been renewing the rent for them before they could finally get a permanent site in the Industrial city of the State. And that is why I said we Manufacturers/Importers in Nnewi, we are the highest revenue generators to SON in South East Nigeria.
“The workshop was a gainful one to us as manufacturers and Importers.
The President assure the organisation of the association continous collaboration to curb the influx and sale of substandard products in the state and the country at large.
Director General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke in his remark, told the stakeholders that one of the foremost responsibilities of a regulator was to nurture businesses. He said that would position the businesses for value addition to society.
The DG who was represented by Mrs Foluso Bolaji, the Organisation’s Director for Public Relations, explained that SON’s mission was to promote consumer confidence and global competitiveness of Nigerian products and services through standardization and quality assurance.
According to Mrs Bolaji, the timing of this public sensitization in the Anambra state is indeed germane and quite in tune with the current efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to turn around the nation’s economy.
“We are using the nationwide stakeholders sensitization programmes not only to enlighten operators on the provisions of the SON ACT No. 14 of 2015 but equally to strengthen stakeholders’ engagement and collaborations.
The positive outcome and impact of the sensitization exercises in places where they have been conducted so far have been so encouraging. This forum would therefore not be different in soliciting more support, collaboration as well as challenging all stakeholders in Anambra State and adjoining areas on the need to follow right processes for mutual business growth and public safety.
The SON ACT enacted into Law by the Seventh National Assembly is a revolutionary document which we are deploying to carry out massive steps towards delivering on our mandate to sanitise the Nigerian landscape, markets, everywhere, of unwholesome products.
“Let me inform you that the big hauls of seizures which the Organisation have been recording in recent times are testimonial that we mean business by harnessing to the enormous powers which the ACT has accorded us.
“We have been confiscating fake and sub-standard products worth over several billions of naira across the country. We have since embarked on arraignment and trials at the various federal courts of suspects linked with the failed and impounded goods.
“We are not resting on our oars and no one person, group, sector or region is being targetted.
“We therefore appeal to all to be on board the standards voyage, ensure strict adhere to standards and quality assurance for your businesses to grow. Let me remind us all that, the work of standardisation is to grow Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, promote agro-allied sector, ensure safety of lives and property as well as ensure industrial and economic development, which is why we need this engagement with you, participants and operators. We need to use the opportunity of the African common market to attain economic and trade development.
“That is why we are spreading our tentacles to the states and geo-political zones. Product counterfeiters have no place to hibernate. With the re-invigorated monitoring and enforcement strategies and exercises we are putting in place, our dragnet will get economic saboteurs anywhere, anytime.As one of the best ISO Management Systems training providers, SON has continually updated its training programmes to suit the latest international standards, practices, principles and in-depth knowledge.
As operators we urge you to always certify your products quality with SON in order to make made-in-Nigeria products and services good to go anywhere in the world.
“We have International Accredited Firms with total quality expertise supporting exporters and importers to comply with the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) in Nigeria. Importers and exporters trading with Nigeria need to comply with the requirements of SON in order for their goods to get seamless clearance at the seaports. Let us endeavour to grow our own product brands and encourage more investments by standards adherence.
“let me assure you that SON as a Federal body with responsibilities to develop standards for products and services as well as ensure that locally manufactured or imported products comply with the requirements of quality and standards through conformity assessment benchmarking, provides a level-playing field for local manufacturers, importers, exporters and consumers. It therefore behoves on operators to deliver on consumers’ expectations. We insist that all products manufactured in Nigeria must be certified to the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) through the agency’s Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP). Again, all imported products must also be certified to the NIS or other approved standards through SON’s Offshore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) Products.
“We should know that registration and certification are vital tools for products competitiveness. Furthermore, to ensure safety and protection of end-users, we are now put in place products Authentication Mark (PAM)- the sticker on the products are double assurance of the products quality.
SON has internationally accredited laboratories and metrology services to support export promotion particularly agricultural products. Certified made-in-Nigeria products enjoy both local and global acceptance.
“We are bringing standardization activities to the doorsteps of all across the country. We have mobile calibration vans to boost testing of your products especially in semi-urban and rural communities.
“Let us join hands together with SON to fight the influx of sub-standard products and create a healthy and prosperous nation, Bolaji advocated.
The workshop with the Theme; “SON Requirements and compliance, Monitoring Activities to curb the influx and sale of substandard products in the country” also witnessed the presence of the Anambra State Commissioner for Industry, Dr. Christian Udechukwu, the lead paper presenter, Mr. Pius Manji, Director, Anambra Directorate, Mr Agafie Gabriel, the Director of Quality Aluminum/Steel Manufacturing Industries Onitsha, Chief Emeka Clement Melunze, Police and Civil Defence representatives.
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