Mohammed Shosanya
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria,SON,is putting in place stiffer punitive measures to check the activities of the dealers of sub-standard products in the country
Mr. Farouk Salim, Director General of SON,spoke in Abuja at the Stakeholders Conference organised by Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria(CICAN).
He said the Act establishing the Organisation is currently being reviewed at the National Assembly,adding that the Act would provide stiffer sanctions for unscrupulous individuals who import and deal with sub-standard products.
He said,the bill to repeal and enact SON Act, when passed into law would not only impose fines on dealers of sub-standard products, but also prescribe jail terms to them to serve as a deterrent to others.
He also said the bll to repeal and enact SON Act, when passed into law would criminalise the production, manufacturing and distribution of substandard products that could endanger the lives of consumers in the country.
The Act was aimed at strengthening the core mandate of the Organisation against malpractices as well as “encourage improved competitiveness of Nigerian goods at home and abroad by encouraging quality assurance practices”,he said.
Speaking on the organisation’s role so far on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, Salim said SON has been working with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to ensure efficient Service delivery through the promotion of a transparent and efficient business environment and publication of processes and requirements, timelines and fees in SON premises and on its website.
He disclosed that the SON emerged tops in the PEBEC 2020/21 ranking in the Ease of Doing Business among Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) in Nigeria.
He further noted that Off-shore Conformity
Assessment Programme (SONCAP) was part of continuous efforts by SON to protect Nigerian consumers from unsafe and or sub-standard products.
According to him, “Standards Organisation of Nigeria has in place an off-shore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) since September 1, 2005. The programme is to ensure that regulated imports comply with the approved Standards, Technical Regulations and other specifications acceptable in Nigeria.
“The SONCAP certificate is a mandatory customs clearance document in Nigeria and Regulated Products arriving without this document will be subject to delays to assess conformance to Standards requirements and possibly denial of entry if found non-conforming.
“SONCAP is applicable to Regulated Products in addition to any other existing import processes.”
