Dimka Gambo is the coordinator of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). In this interview with ADEOLA TUKURU, he explains the progress made in tackling cases of substandard products, the SON’s penalty for off enders, among others
How has the organisation been able to tackle increase in cases of substandard goods in the FCT? As an organisation, we have done a lot through market survey, whereby we take products that don’t qualify in the market, products that are not well labelled and the ones that don’t have the information to qualify for the standard of products. We have also kicked off with our sensitisation programmes, we are collaborating with the market associations such as the Nigerian Traders Association and other marketers to enlighten the traders on how to identify substandard products in the markets.
We have also partnered with the Abuja Enterprises Development Agency to enlighten the manufacturers and help them to ensure they get our supports and fi nances in developing their industry. We have partnered with National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Consumer Protection Council (CPC), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) among others . Recently, the FCT SON gave out MANCAP certifi cation to some companies, how has the organisation been able to monitor these companies to ensure that they maintain their standards in the market?
As you know that certifi cation has a process and before these companies were certified, we ensured that our surveillance team watched over them to ensure that they are constantly monitored. Also, every quarter of the year, we visit them and if we observe that they are not meeting up with the standards required, we won’t hesitate to revoke their certifi cates. Since your assumption of offi ce as the FCT Coordinator in March this year, what have achieve so far? We ensured that we carried out our enforcement programmes in the markets constantly and as you can see we have seized a lot of substandard products from marketers and traders recently. I have also expanded our areas of collaboration. Few weeks back we were with NAFDAC and we plan to visit the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). So, in terms of publicity, we have made some achievements.
Recently, we received the association of traders who were here to partner with us and also product manufacturers and we hope to do more. What are the major challenges facing the organisation? Th e aggression by the markets and resistance to open up information to us. Recently, when we were in the market to carry out some enforcement activities, the reaction we got from traders and manufacturers was unpleasant. That was what prompted us to redefi ne our approach by enlightening them on the activities of SON, what they stand to gain by cooperating with us, in terms of ensuring their business prospects and the consequences of dealing with substandard products. Some of them try to hide when they see us coming, we also try to engage the executives of the unions for us to work together, and we also rely on the public to give us information wherever and whenever they identify such substandard products. We have had a number of complaints which we have been able to address to the satisfaction of the consumers. In that way, we are making eff orts to reduce fake products in the markets. So we urge the public to tell us what they observe.
I also commend the Federal Government policies in promoting the made in Nigeria products, I want to believe that local manufacturers and marketers will be encouraged. Also, funding is quite challenging, though we are trying to manage with what we have been given and with partnership from other agencies, we believe that the work will be made easier. Sensitisation programme in the grass root, how far have you gone? We do sensitisation in schools, we do it locally but we have not recorded breakthrough in the grassroots, we have partnered with the African Standard Schools, NOA, Women movement who made themselves available for us to use to reach the grass root with their support, so we keep collaborating to ensure that information are disseminating to the grassroots. What is FCT SON doing to prosecute marketers who parade substandard products?
With the review of the SON decree in 2015, we have been empowered to penalise and stiff er measures are been introduced to prosecute dealers of substandard products, so that it will serve as deterrent to those who are involved. The degree is now much stronger to be able to penalize unscrupulous manufacturers. At the moment, some of the substandard items that were recently seized, we are still carrying out our investigation and we recently prosecuted 3 so far .Over the years number of prosecution was far larger than these. How can residents identify substandard products?
If you are buying a new product, try to compare it to the same products at other stores or markets. If you are not sure about a certain extension cord, compare it to others that are for sale in the same market. All brands of extension code will have a lot of the same information and symbols or logos printed on them or in their packaging, so if one particular brand does not have it, it may be a fake product. Also, tips of identifying substandard goods are improper labelling, expiry date, best before date, approval numbers, country of origin, trade mark, manufacturers address, inadequate or improper packaging, when the manufacturer does not have the list of all the ingredients, no MANCAP certifi cation, behaviours or trader, importer or agent, low price, environment friendliness, manual, guarantee and warranty.
How do you hope to meet up with the international standards? Standard is a co censored document. When we develop standard, we ensure that it is promoted at the national level, we ensure that it is promoted at the regional level and also internationally. Our standard is intentionally, we are far with developing quality and we try as much to facilitate trade through the use of standard and through our quality map in West African countries. When you leave offi ce, what do you hope to have achieved? I want to ensure that we have raised the standard of products in the markets. I want to be proud to look at the products and see that I contributed in the standard of products and it can also be accepted internationally.
