The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is lamenting its exit from the nation’s seaports since 2011; it says that the action is negatively impacting on its operations at the ports, especially in the area of checking importation of substandard products into the country.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, the Head of Public Relations of SON; Mr Bola Fashina, said that since the organisation was not at the seaports anymore, it had to rely on information from members of the public and sister agencies in the security family to achieve its objective.
He said such collaboration had become necessary as the organisation had not been properly positioned to stop substandard products at the entry points since its exit from the seaports in 2011.
He added that, SON has no choice than to collaborate with relevant security agencies on classified information for the eradication of substandard products.
Fashina said in spite of the off-Shore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) by the organisation, unpatriotic importers still circumvent the process to make excessive profits.
He explained that the programme was aimed at ensuring that quality products were imported from their countries of origin into the country.
SONCAP is a pre-shipment verification of conformity to standard process used to verify products to be imported into Nigeria.
He said the agency was only able to examine consignments on arrival when invited.
Fashina stressed the importance of examining consignments on arrival for quality control.
He called on Nigerians to continue to act as whistle blowers in the fight against the influx and distribution of substandard products.
SON has the mandate to undertake investigations on the quality of facilities, materials and products in Nigeria, and to establish quality assurance system, including certification of factories, products and laboratories.
Other mandates are to organise tests, and do everything necessary to ensure compliance with standards designated and approved by the Federal Government, among others.
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