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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has disclosed that about four hundred firms in the country have received the Management Systems Certification.
The Director of marketing of the Organisation, Richard Adewumi, who made the disclosure during a stakeholders sensitization forum with the theme, “SON: Partner in progress for business boom via standardization” held in Calabar at the weekend, said they are committed to improving on the quality of goods and products produced in the country. The forum which is a Nationwide sensitisation campaign.
Speaking during the engagement, t Adewumi said: “In Nigeria today, about 400 companies in Nigeria have received the Management Systems Certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
“What this does is that any organisation that subscribes to that we are sure they have put in place proper management Systems in line with the requirements of the standards.”
Also speaking Mallam Farouk Salim, FPSN, the director general and CEO of SON, said the organisation has put in place Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to ensure that all locally manufactured products conform to the relevant Nigeria Industrial Standards “NIS”.
The Director General who spoke through Usman Mohammed, the director of the South/South Region of SON, enumerated the benefits of certification, adding, “certification of locally manufactured products ensures that manufactured products comply with standards, quality awareness is promoted in the production of goods and provision of services.
“In addition, the sale of substandard and unsafe products in the market is prevented, products purchased by consumers have value for money, provision of records for identification and traceability of products, provision of level playing ground in competitive domestic and international markets and promote trade and investment”, he said.
Also speaking, Chief Emeka Duru, the Senior Special Adviser to the DG/CE and national coordinator of sensitization programmes, said: “Aplatform like this is used to interface with stakeholders and create awareness so that businesses can move forward. Without the stakeholders, SON does not exist and the platform will also help in implementing best practices and minimizing wastes.”
On his part, Engr. Ninma Apim, the Cross River State coordinator of SON said the engagement is a step in the right direction and compliance with SON specifications is a sure bet to improve in services.
A representative of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Usen Umoh, said MAN will continue to partner with SON to ensure that locally manufactured goods are always up to standard.
