"BETWEEN 2008 and 2009, we recorded tremendous improvement in the quality of services given to industries and the nation in general. And we are determined in 2010 to sustain and improve on our determinawtion to fulfill our mandate of developing standards for commodities, projects and services for industries and to implement the Federal Governments programmes on standardisation and quality assurance for both locally manufactured goods and imported products throughout the country".
With this declaration at the weekend in Lagos, the Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. John Ndanusa Akanya, took media practitioners through the regulatory agencys activities and achievements in the past two years, just as he unfolded its focus for the new year.
Akanya was joined by other SON officials who, among other things, also listed the organisations operational challenges, even as they proffered some remedial measures.
Akanya, in his address to commerce and industry correspondents at a capacity building programme for them in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, disclosed that during the period under review, SON witnessed considerable organisational development in terms of physical structures, capacity building and acquisition of equipment, skills and procedures. Specifically, the SON boss listed the organisations activities and achievements to include the following:
- Opening of new State offices which bring SONs operational bases to twenty-nine including the Corporate Headquarters in Abuja and the Operational office Lekki in Lagos.
- Installation of Automobile Glass Testing Laboratory at Lekki office, Lagos and on-going installation of Paints and Allied Materials Testing Laboratory.
- Improved capacity building for the take-off of the National Laboratory Accreditation System through intensified nationwide training on NIS ISO 17025 Competence of Calibration and or Testing Laboratories Management Standards.
- Improved stocking of the recently established modern reference Library at the Corporate Headquarters Abuja.
- Receipt of 254 Consumer complaints out of which 237 had been conclusively treated, 12 on-going and 5 still being investigated.
- Completion of work on the reconstruction of Enugu new Engineering Laboratory building Project which was commenced and abandoned since 1976.
- Repair and calibration of broken down equipment in the Enugu Engineering Laboratory.
- Strengthening of Standards Enforcement through the creation of a Directorate of Enforcement with attendant improved apprehension and seizure of substandard goods.
- Destruction of substandard Goods worth over N1billion and rectification of over 100 imported items for labeling defects among others.
- On-going monitoring of Industry compliance with the 5% Cassava inclusion in Flour policy.
- Improved implementation of off-shore Quality Certification of Products meant for Nigerian Market, SONCAP (SON Conformity Assessment Program) to stem the dumping of sub-Standard life-danger products on Nigerians. Issuance of 21,169 SONCAP Certificates and 41,473 Product Certificates in 2007
- Engagement of two additional Project Management Companies namely SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance and TUV Rheinland Group to complement the efforts of Intertek International Service in the worldwide management of the off-shore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) to provide a wider scope of coverage for the programme and the infusion of additional technical competence into its management with a view to further fighting the scourge of substandard goods importation.
- Massive subscription of local Manufacturers to the implementation of the Mandatory Conformity Assessment programme for Made in Nigeria Products with increased certification of many while many more are still undergoing the process.
- Certification of more companies to the recently introduced NIS ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System Standards and on-going system audit of many others towards eventual certification.
- Creation of an additional Zonal office in Lagos to make for more effective coverage of the State in line with the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme initiative.
- Creation of Regional offices headed by staff of Deputy Directors level and above to oversee the affairs of the SON State and Zonal offices for greater efficiency and effectiveness as well as bring its services nearer to the people
Akanya added that the organisation, in focussing greater attention on the Oil and Gas Sector of the Nigerian economy, inaugurated a standing Technical Committee to ensure full Standardisation and Quality Assurance of the sector with a view to getting more from the countrys God endowed natural resources. He stated further that SON did massive review of standards in line with technological development and changes in consumer demandsduring the period under review.
The SON boss also disclosed:"The Technical Committee of the Governing Council within the period under review approved 133 additional Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) in the following categories;
- Chemical Technology Standards - 37
- Food Technology Standards - 26
- Leather Technology Standards - 11
- Mechanical Engineering Standards - 51
- Textile Technology Standards - 08
The approved Standards include newly elaborated ones, those reviewed in line with current developments and those adopted as well as adapted from existing International Standards".
He also listed other activities and achievements to include the following:"
- Offering of Calibration services for public/private sector organizations towards ensuring compliance with international standards, improving competitiveness in trade, consumer and environmental protection, improved product quality through accurate and precise measurements traceable to international standards.
- Appreciable increase in patronage of SONs calibration services for different equipment in different sectors of the economy within the period under review thus saving the nation a huge sum in foreign exchange that was hitherto expended on such in the past.
- Active participation in the recent formation and inauguration of the African Electrotechnical Standardisation Commission (AFSEC) at which Nigeria was elected 1st Vice-President in charge of Technical Committee for Standards elaboration, review and
- Improved staff welfare through release of outstanding promotions, continuous capacity building within and outside the country, provision of modern working tools (e.g. computers, internet access etc) and institution of a staff insurance cover policy among others".
Akanya continued: "As a further demonstration of SONs determination to substantially reduce the incidence of substandard products in our markets, the Organisation has initiated the prosecution of some importers of sub-standard Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Cylinders apprehended by the Enforcement team in line with the provisions of its enabling act".
He also disclosed that SON had initiated the signing of an Agreement with the Government of China to assure the quality of products being exported from that country to Nigeria, stressing that it entailed that the Chinese authorities would take full responsibility for the assurance of the quality of all goods to be exported to Nigeria from China when the agreement is signed and put to effect.
Indeed, Akanya, who said the list of SONs achievements were limitless, also added the following:"
- Review of Cigarette Standards in order to further reduce the level of carbon monoxide, tar, nicotine as well as improve on the labeling provisions to which cigarette shall conform with attendant
- Stakeholders workshop to create awareness on the various provisions of the approved standard and agree on the time frame for the full implementation/enforcement of the provision of the standard by regulatory agencies.
- Active participation of Nigeria through the National Mirror committee on Social Responsibility (with Secretariat in SON) in the on-going development/elaboration of the ISO 26000 Guidance Standards on Social Responsibility and holding of a 2-day National Workshop on same.
- Collaboration with Tribology Society of Nigeria to organise a National Lubrication Workshop in Lagos to examine challenges in the sector and proffer appropriate suggestions.
- Strengthening the recently created Regional Directorates and State Offices via improved staffing and resources provision
- Training of the newly engaged staff and re-training of the old staff
- Signing and putting into effect the negotiated agreement with Chinese Government on the export of goods from China to Nigeria
- Improved implementation of the Organisations Conformity Assessment programme(SONCAP) with the addition of qualified and competent Service Providers
- Greater implementation of Manufacturers Conformity Assessment (MANCAP) programme and ensuring local Manufacturers compliance
- Opening of more offices in areas not yet fully covered.
- Zero tolerance and prosecution of perpetrators of sub-standard goods importation, manufacture, distribution and sales.
- Enhanced human resource development for the Nation through our ISO Training Courses.
- Improved capacity development in the areas of Testing and Calibration Services
- Improved Stakeholder enlightenment and education throughout the Nation.
- Improved Staff Welfare.
Significantly, ahead of the presentation of the regulatory agencys challenges to the media by other SON chiefs at the forum, Akanya stressed:" Enforcement is our greatest challenge". Buttressing this, he said that the organizations SONCAP certificate is now sought after by fraudsters as the search for dollars by many."Sophisticated fraudsters are involved in this," he regretted.
SONs Head, Enforcement, , Mr Bayo Adegun, focused on the organizations challenges arising from international agreements, attitudinal challenges of Nigerians, political influence , logistics challenges and others.
According to him, Standardization is made tasking because of Nigerias embrace of world Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement and Economic Community of West African States trade liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) which both allow for free movement of goods across borders.
He added that the unscrupulous attitude of many clearing agents, importers and inspectors, who would want to maximize profit or income at all costs also poses a big challenge to SON.
There were also instances, he continued, where importers use their connections with some of those in the corridors of power to put pressure on SON officials to compromise in the performance of their statutory obligations. The SON chief also identified challenges of inadequate laboratory equipment, manpower and vehicles.
Other challenges, according to him, included the little awareness of Nigerians of the consequences of patronage of substandard products on users and indeed on the economy, Nigerians preference for foreign products and the countrys poor economic environment and its effects.
Corroborating Adegun on attitudinal challenge, SONs Head of Quality Assurance, Mrs Margaret Eshiette, noted in her presentation on "Fundamentals of Quality Assurance" that an average Nigerian sees quality on the basis of what satisfies him or her and is less concerned about standards.
SONs Head of Finance and Supply, Mr David Okon, harped on SONs funding constraints, which he described as a major challenge.
Describing funding as a critical factor, Okon, who lamented governments inability to adequately fund SON despite its enormous task pleaded for increased funding for effective performance, especially in the area of standard elaboration, which is its primary mandate.
Also in a presentation on "Legal challenges of Standardization in Nigeria", SONs Director, Legal Services, Mr Paul Angya- a barrister- lamented among others, that the penalty for offenders, either as manufacturers or individuals is simply unreasonable, just as he faulted SONs inability to prosecute offenders directly. "For instance, the penalty of N1,000 levide on non-compliant manufacturers is as inadequate as the non-provision of powers on the legal officers of the organization to prosecute offenders directly except through the police or office of the Attorney General", Angya stated. He however noted that SONs enabling laws are being reviewed, but pleaded that the National Assembly should give due attention to proposals pertaining to it when presented before the law makers.
Two other challenges were identified by SON officials. One of them, according to SONs Director of Standards, Mr John Achukwu-an engineer-who presented a paper on "The process of standards elaboration, review, adoption and adaptation" is the need to ensure that an average Nigerian appreciate that Standards play very important roles in human activities on a daily basis and is a vital tool that could propel Nigeria to technological and economic breakthrough. The other one, according to Mr Adebola fashina, in his paper on "The challenge of informing and educating the Nigerian public on standardization" is how to sustain SONs cordial relationship with the media such that its role as a watchdog is not compromised and how SONs numerous activities, achievements and challenges could be appropriately relayed to the public. |
