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Henry Uche
As Nigeria awaits the full implementation of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) by July 2020, the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN) has critique the impacts it weighs on Nigeria health.
At the 2nd business network series put together by Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), with theme, “AFCFTA in View: Raising the Ante on Standards, Safety and Quality of made in Nigeria Products,” the Director General of Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma represented by the director, laboratory Services, Kehinde Mojisola, who spoke on “Raising the Ante on Standards, Safety and Quality of Made in Nigeria Products,” said manufacturers and other actors in the production -consumers value chain must raise the standards of products and services in other to compete favourably with other African countries they are warming up to maximize the AFCFTA.
He sued for adequate funding for National Metrology institute, (NMI) and the need for well equipped SON laboratory testing services with Hi -Tech equipments noting the importance of Certification Program by Mandatory conformiconformity Assessment Program, MANCAP.
On his part, the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drugs, Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye represented by the Director; Laboratory Services, Victor Abiola, who spoke on “Roles of Public Analysts/Accredited Laboratories in Products Registration and Post Market Surveillance Towards Safeguarding Public Interest,” said though Nigeria has some comparative advantage over other African countries like manpower, howbeit, producers of products and services must ensure products and services certification before full implementation of AFCTA kicks off, hence the rule of origin has a lasting impact on the continental trading.
Abiola urged the IPAN and other relevant agencies to ensure that private laboratories have local certifications and encourage Standards Operating Procedures (SOP).
He recommended a specialized testing of a particular product in order to have an edge over others. He charged IPAN to ensure that products claims are true and verifiable, adding that IPAN should award correct disposition on products that are been tested and boost quality control.
“A laboratory should specialize in testing a particular class of product not testing products, it’s very important,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, the Director General, DG, of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Segun Ajayi-kadiri represented by Director, Economics and Statistics, Olusegun Osidipe, argued that AFCFTA is not bad in its entirety, but so many salient issues were not yet resolved before Nigeria signed it.
Equally, the Registrar, IPAN, Aliyu Angara, charged public analysts in SON, NAFDAC and other public and private organizations directly working in health related companies to be painstaking and prudent in their dealings.
He urged manufacturers and other businesses to improve in safety, quality, packaging/labeling, and other competitive edge to be able to stand the challenges in the AFCFTA. “We must up their game for the challenges ahead. Public analysts have been charged to be sure of whatever pronouncement they make on any product in Nigeria.”
