SON tasks cable makers, others on global best practice

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has sounded a note of warning to cable manufacturers and importers on the need to always adhere to global best practices in their operations.

SON noted that the cable sector, which has been the pride of Nigeria for some years is being threatened by unwholesome practices.SON Director General, Osita Aboloma, who spoke during a meeting with Cable Manufacturers urged them to protect their products, because of the influx of substandard cable in Nigeria.

“There was a serious concerns raised by consumers and stakeholders in the cable industry of the menace of substandard cable in Nigeria, thereby eroding the little milage we have been able to build over the years,” he said.

Represented by the Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, Obiora Manafa, he said: “There is also this unethical cloning of established brands in the market and it is quite appalling . They take a look at successful brand and copy it, but the quality cannot be guaranteed whether it is standard or not, if you use what belongs to someone thereby misleading the public, then it becomes a problem that you have to resolve with SON.”

Aboloma said apart from cloning, the agency has also been hinted about a situation where unscrupulous dealers mislabel their products to cheat the unsuspecting consumers of their hard earned money spent on goods purchased.

Responding, the Chairman Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Robert  Krersctoter, said the association is willing to partner with SON to achieve its mandate of improving the quality of lives through quality assurance. The association pledged to support SON to sanitise the cable market through intelligence report.

In a related development, Compliance Directorate, Engr. Obiora Manafa, at a one day sensitisation programme with importers and dealers of electronics in Alaba international market, urged them to adhere to standards as the surest way to bring back the glory days of Alaba international market. He expressed SON’s readiness to work with local manufacturers to make their goods exportable in a bid to earn foreign exchange for the Nigerian economy.

The DG pointed out that SON has in its warehouse substandard electric cables waiting for court order to be destroyed, while also restating it’s commitment to bringing down the influx of substandard goods into the country.