Reps task SON on sensitisation against substandard goods

The House of Representatives Committee on Industry has charged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to step up its fight against substandard goods by increasing its level of engagement with the public.

The House Committee Chairman on Industry, Dolapo Badru, stated that Nigeria is overwhelmed with substandard goods, explaining that the public must be informed about the dangers of the negative impacts these goods have on the economy and the lives of innocent Nigerians.

Badru at an oversight function to SON laboratory in Ogba, expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far by the standards body, while also stating the legislative arm’s commitment to return SON back to nation’s sea ports.

“They need to up the ante on their sensitisation. The public is the end users and they are also the victims of these substandard goods. The main point of this visit is the absence of SON at the seaports and airports and this allows for substandard products to be dumped on us.

“We have seen enough through their laboratory testing and we are impressed with what we have seen so far. We hope SON will be able to do more in terms of sensitisation of what they do. You actually need to do a lot of sensitisation to reach out to the public, because they are the ones who are being affected by these substandard goods”, he said.

He added the committee will make sure that it does everything within its powers to make sure that SON gets back to the borders, most especially the ports and the airports, because the country is so overwhelmed with fake and substandard products especially those products that take lives of innocent Nigerians.

He stated that the House would invite the Director General of SON and the Ministry concerned to review the law that mandates SON to be at the ports

“We are going to work with the ministry and the executive to make sure SON gets back to the ports. Nigeria has become a place where anything can be dumped just because the people who are supposed to check for standards are absent. We have resolved that within the shortest time possible, we will be working with the executive and ministry concerned to get SON back to the ports. We will support SON in their quest to carry out sensitisation activities in the country,” he averred.

In his response, the Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, commended the House or Representatives for their support, stating that SON has the capacity to create possibilities.

According to him, the agency has invested so much in human capacity development to be at par with its counterparts all over the world.

“We appreciate your keen interest to sending us back to the ports while also creating the enabling environment for effective service delivery. If we are well positioned we will do more. The task to rid Nigeria of substandard product is a responsibility for everybody. As members of the committee on industry, you are by extension standards ambassadors. We implore you to advocate our course wherever possible because we need to be positioned to enable us carry out our mandate effectively and safeguarding the lives of Nigerians through standards,” he said.