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From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has expressed displeasure over rejection of Nigerian products due to non-conformance to global standards.
He made this disclosure while making his keynote address at the Second National Competitiveness Consultative Forum for Regulatory Establishments in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister said that despite efforts at collaborations to boost the productivity sector, there is still the challenge of products not conforming to global standards.
He said “It is widely known and accepted that even when all the alliances are formed and enhanced productivity achieved, the challenge of conformance to standards remains a most constraint factor for our dear country to attain improved global competitiveness.
“I am always worried and feel unhappy when I receive news that our cargoes for export are rejected at either Nigerian ports of departure or ports of destination of such exports.”
He added that the rejection of Nigerian products due to poor standards is consequential to business owners in the country.
“It is not easy to imagine the cost of such damage to owners of businesses and the bad image such occurrences create for our great country. We are not fully aware of the sad and unfortunate situations created by substandard, counter-fit and defective materials, goods, processes and even systems on our people and trading partners,” he added.
The minister further urged manufacturers and stakeholders to ensure strong regulatory frameworks, which would build global confidence in Nigerian goods and services.
In his opening remark, the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi, also said, the country needs a robust STI ecosystem capable of facilitating the production of made-in Nigeria products and services to meet up other global competitors.
He further made emphasis on the consistent vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration towards Nigeria to be self reliant in the area of development and an innovative driven economy.
Abdullahi also assured the participants of the Ministry’s commitment on the outcomes and decisions of the forum which he said would be accorded maximum attention and support.
In a goodwill message, the representative of the British High Commission, Mr. Mammadou Diallo, said the British government is fully ready to assist Nigeria achieve its dream of being a knowledge-driven economy.
