Son Celebrates World Standards Day …DG Harps On Compliance To Global Standards

 

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) will this week join the rest of

the world to mark this year’s world standards day which has as its theme,

“Intelligent and sustainable buildings”.
A statement that was sent to Shipping Position Weekly by the spokesman for the

organisation, Mr Adebola Fashina quoted the SON’s director general, Dr John

Akanya as  saying that the  basic quality and safety requirements provided by

standards as well as the incorporation of new technologies for the

construction and operation of intelligent and sustainable buildings is the

focus of the 2008 World Standards Day celebration.
The statement added further that this year’s celebrations will be jointly

coordinated by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO),

International Electro technical Commission (IEC) and the International

Telecommunication Union (ITU).
According to the SON boss, the increasingly urban environment which sees new

construction forging ahead in both the developed and developing countries

poses a great challenge to meet the needs of a world population that has more

than doubled since 1950.
The statement further quotes Dr Akanya as positing that with so much at stake,

principles for sustainability need to be combined with a growing need for

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) connectivity for intelligent

buildings that optimize energy efficiency, safety, security, communication and

sheer convenience.
The SON helmsman stated that given the importance of the building sector which

represents a large share of the economic assets of individuals, organisations

and nations as well as being a major employer of labour, construction

materials and processes have an impact on the health and safety of

construction workers and the people who live or work in buildings, while the

quality of buildings has a direct influence on the quality of life.

He disclosed that for this year’s celebrations, SON has designed many

programmes including, walk for Standards, and exhibition of certified quality

products as well as presentation of awards in various categories to local

companies whose products have met and exceeded the minimum requirements in the

various standards. The awards have already been held at Kaduna for the

Northern Zone, Enugu for the Eastern Zone and will be held between November 13

and 15th, 2008 in Lagos for the South West Zone.
The programme tagged “Nigerian Quality Week” is designed to ensure greater

participation of local industries particularly small and medium scale as well

as cottage industries, facilitate greater interaction with Consumers within

the primary markets of the various companies and bring standardisation nearer

to the grassroots through public enlightenement activities.
He stated that his organisation has also elaborated standards for most

materials in the building and construction industry, introduced a safety

identification marking for all locally manufactured and imported iron rods for

trace ability and is collaborating with all stakeholders in the built

environment towards to the full and effective implementation of the National

Building Code.
The SON Director General asserted that today, new commercial, governmental and

residential buildings particularly in a country like Nigeria need to meet a

multiplicity of demands; from resistance to fire and flood, natural disasters

through energy efficiency and a reduced environmental footprint to ease of

integration with ICT networks as well as accessibility for disabled or elderly

persons.
Building according to him represent a large share of the economic assets of

individuals, organisations and nations as a major provider of employment,

stressing that  construction materials and processes have an impact on the

health and safety  of both the construction workers and the people who live or