The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has called on manufacturers in the country to form associations in their various sub sectors and fight against counterfeit products.
Alhaji Farouk Salim, Director General of SON said this at a Stakeholders’ Meeting and Sensitisation Workshop with manufacturers in Awka on Thursday.
The theme of the workshop was “The Impact of Quality Assurance on Businesses”.
Farouk was represented by Chief Emeka Duru, his Senior Special Assistant.
The DG said the problem of substandard products and challenges of raw materials sourcing would be more effectively tackled if players in the industry galvanised their energies.
He said firms which had regularised their processes should not allow illegal operators to frustrate their genuine efforts.
“Core mandate of what we do is to ensure that Nigeria made products are quality assured and it is our mandate also to protect firms.
“I urge you to form associations so that you can articulate your challenges and agenda.
”This will also help you to work with SON to weed out quacks; those of you here have nothing to fear but you must assist by exposing those at home,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Don-Pedro Papaye, Regional Director of SON in Anambra, said the workshop was in line with the operational mandate of the organisation to promote businesses and protect consumers.
Papaye explained that the creation of a regional office in Anambra and another state office in Nnewi was to bring its operations closer to the communities.
He said a laboratory would be sited in the state to ease and fasten the process of product testing and response.
According to him, the laboratory which will be sited here will quicken the time of sample test and obtain the result on time. It will also reduce the risk associated with moving products to long distance.
“The workshop is essential as part of our services, we meet with manufacturers on a quarterly basis to discuss critical issues that would bring improvement in their products and business.
“So, our surveillance teams are working, going to the market to identify products that have not been certified and when we see such, we confiscate,” he said.
In his lecture, Mr Elisha Jugu of the Mechanical Engineering Department said a sound Quality Management System was essential for the survival of the firm.
Jugu said quality assurance and quality control entailed ensuring that standards were upheld through the manufacturing process from raw materials, machines, personnel, marketing to customer care desk.
He said SON helped firms to monitor their quality compliance by regular inspection visits, issuance and renewal of MANCAP certificate and training.
