SON, ANCLA, others move to check import of sub-standard goods

IN a renewed bid to check the importation of fake and sub-standard goods into the country, the Standards Organisation of Nigerian (SON) and National Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) as well as other stakeholders have consolidated plans to harmonise efforts to check the illicit acts.

    According to SON, despite the drastic reduction in the influx of sub-standard goods in the country, especially through the ports, there is a need to intensify efforts at discouraging the act.

    Speaking during a visit to the ANLCA headquarters in Lagos, recently, the Director-General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu said: “Today, my mandate is about ensuring that our manufacturing sector is not just able to make products that meet standards but that we should make products that meet standards for the world. In the next three or four years, all I will focus on is how we can make Nigerian products to be good for the world.

   “Nigeria is a highly import-dependent economy because almost all sectors need import. Again, one of the challenges, we have in Nigeria is that Nigerians tend to love products that are not made in Nigeria and it bothers me because there is no country in this world that has ever made success of building their economy by consuming overseas products.

   “Every time you buy a product from abroad, you are indirectly paying the salaries of the foreign workers. My mandate is to see how far we can reverse the process to begin to patronise made-in-Nigeria products. We are currently on the campaign of ensuring that made in Nigeria goods meet international standards”.

   Odumodu explained that efforts are underway to make processes become more seamless, especially in combating the influx of sub-standard goods, stating that SON’s operations were being integrated electronically to enable a seamless access to service adding that fees relating to SONCAP, tariffs, inspectorate charges, among others, could now be made without necessarily visiting any SON’s office.

    He added that SON was working closely with the Nigeria Customs Service in ensuring that its operations were also integrated in the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS).

   On his part, the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu commended SON for its efforts in ridding the nation of sub-standard goods, while expressing the association’s commitment towards supporting the agency in the realization of its mandate.

  Shittu also urged government to explore increased collaboration with stakeholders stating that its advantages far-outweighed the demerits.

   He commended Odumodu for going beyond the shores of Nigeria to liaise with other countries on the methods to be employed in tackling the hydra-headed monster of substandard products.