Fight against substandard: SON to establish 6 new offices across Nigeria 

L-r: Timothy Abner, Director, Training Services, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON); Bede Obayi, Director, National Metrology Institute, SON; Farouk Salim, Director General/CE, SON; Segun Ajayi-Kadri, Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; Kunle Awobodu, immediate past President, Nigeria Institute of Builders; Adewunmi Adio Modinat, Assistant Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos Command; Folusho Bolaji, Director, Public Relations, SON; Regina Imoisili, Small and Medium Entrepreneur, and Talatu Ethan, Director, Lagos Operations, SON, during the inauguration of mobile calibration vehicles and measurement equipment by SON, in Lagos

Stanley Ihedigbo

As part of efforts to continued its fight against substandard products,  Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), has announced their plans to establish six new offices across the country  for better coverage and provision of testing facilities.

SON Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim, at the inauguration of mobile calibrate vehicles and measurement equipment in Lagos, said under his leadership to achieve its calibration exercise, the standards body would be expanding its services through mobile laboratory facilities.

“Some of the measures include establishing more  offices , facilities across the various regions and the establishment of SON special task force to serve as a third eye,” he said

He  added that  imbibing the culture of regular calibration of equipment, operators in the industry would get it right, lives would be saved while economic development is assured.

“As we are all aware, the plague caused by substandard products to  our nation cannot be overemphasised as seen in declining foreign exchange, surging unemployment and insecurity. In addition, of course, the closing of factories.

“To address this challenge, my   administration has set out to strengthen available measures to fight substandard products across the country

“Though there have been so many challenges, but we remain undeterred. It is a worthy cause and together we shall win this war. I therefore invite you to join hands with us to fight the influx of substandard goods and create a healthy nation by patronising our calibration services,” he urged.

Also speaking, the Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said Public Private Partnership (PPP) is the surest path to attain an enduring economy that would take care of Nigeria’s over 200 million population.

He assured SON of MAN’s partnership and in areas where support is needed, saying that MAN recently concluded a leadership retreat to prioritise its relationship with SON as top priority.

“This is because politicians come, politicians, but institutions have to be strong to be able to maintain the synergy that we have and so all of us have a responsibility to support SON we have a responsibility to encourage them. I want to say here that we should all leave this place resolved to ensure that SON has the resources at their disposal,” he said.

The equipment we are going to launch here today are not the numbers that is required to cover this country. We have 774 local governments. We need SON to be everywhere, so that we are able to deliver excellent service. So I encourage all of us business organisations to look for ways that SON can be supported to make our country better. This is a game changer for us. We assure SON that together we shall make this country great again,” he implored.

Earlier, the Director, Nigeria Metrology Institute (NMI) of SON,  Engr. Bede Obayi, said the journey to take calibration services to MSMEs and other valuable stakeholders in their locations, has been a long but continual one starting from 2008 to date in SON’s quest to enhance the metrology value chain in Nigeria.

He said the NMI has been established for the dissemination of measurement standards and providing traceability and accuracy of measurements to the industries, laboratories, trade and commerce, aviation, oil and gas, agriculture, health, education, automotive, mining, power and others.

“This means that metrology is life and life begets all developments and advancements in technology towards better living. The scope of NMI of SON is varied and significant as the sole representative of Nigeria at the International Bureau for Weights and Measures (BIPM) situated in France, for all world metrology matters (scientific and industrial),” he said.

“While thanking those that have embraced our metrology services so far, I  urge you all to take advantage of this visit to enrich yourself properly on our metrology operations, for the benefits of your
organization and the country in general,” he advised.