Only conformity to standards makes cities smart –SON
The Director General of Standards Organizations of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Anthony Aboloma has declared that any country whose products conform to international standards have high propensity for trade facilitation and general economic emancipation.
Mr. Aboloma stated this on Monday, during the grand finale of the celebration of the 2017 World Standards Day in Nigeria, held in Abuja with the theme “Standards Make Cities Smart”.
The Director General, reiterated that SON was established to ensure standards in all products manufactured in the country.
He said, “We at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, like our counterparts all over the world are representatives of international standardization bodies. We have the responsibility to propagate the use of international standards within our nationalities for trade facilitation and general economic emancipation across the world.”
“SON has continued to propagate these global standards through adoption and adaption for local use in all sectors in addition to organizing trainings, seminars, workshops and consumer enlightenment activities.We are also engaged in the certification of products, systems and processes to internationally acclaimed standards all-round the year.
“Through various National Mirror Committees, we ensure the active involvement and participation of stakeholders in Nigeria in the development and review of international standards for the various sectors of the economy, Aboloma stressed.”
He warned recipients given the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) not to fall below its standards as their licenses would be revoked.
He also commended the FCT office of SON under the leadership of Mr Gambo Dimka, for the diligent work in enforcing standards in the nation’s capital city.
In her keynote address, Minister of State Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, said that the event, usually marked on the 14th of October every year, goes with various activities to bring home the message of standardization to stakeholders across different sectors of economies around the world.
She commended the initiative of SON who is the key representative of the country in international standards forum, for putting the programme together, which provides opportunity for stakeholders across various sectors in Nigeria to dialogue on standardization and compliance.
According to her, the role of standards as the benchmark for the provision of all the services mentioned above can however not be over-emphasised.
Eight companies were given the MANCAP certificate and they include: Imperial Bakery Ltd, Aninze Food and Drink Ltd, Jasolobaba Table Water, Oceanic Catering Nigeria Ltd, Binani printing press Ltd, Omega Coat, Allied Products Ltd, Inter-Afric Paint Ltd and 212 Bakery Ltd.
One of the awardees, the Acting General Manager of Imperial Bakery Ltd, Alhaji Abdul Adamu, lauded the recognition from the SON and assured to maintain and comply with the standard they have built for the past 20 years.
Myke Uzendu, Oluchi Okoroafor Abuja
