Products’ laboratory result to be released within 21 days – SON

Director – General/ Chief executive of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma, yesterday revealed that the organisation has put in place measures that would ensure that test results from its laboratories are released to its clients within 21 days of obtaining samples depending on the products .
Aboloma, who noted this in Abuja  during a workshop on the SON Act 2015 and the ease of doing business, adding that the number of days required to obtain  both the SONCAP and MANCAP certification would be reduced to the barest minimum when the process for obtainable both certificate are fully automated .
According to him, all these are efforts that would require the appropriate invocation of the provision of the SON Act 201, to help enhance the ease of doing business in the country.
He explained that the availability of laboratories and the conformity assessment infrastructures ensure that products produced in the country meet specified standards, thereby eliminating addition cost that would be incurred if they are tested outside the country.
The DG further explained that the Act bestowed on SON the responsibilities of developing standards for products, commodities projects and services for industries and to implement the Federal Government’s programmes on standardization and quality assurance including metrology for both locally manufactured goods and imported products throughout the country.
In his words: “In pursuance of this mandate through standardization and quality assurance activities, the organization ensures the reduction or elimination of substandard products in Nigeria markets and the availability of goods and services that meet international standards for domestic consumption and exports”
“It becomes imperative that the relevant stakeholders need to be abreast with some provisions of the 2015 Act, to guide them in their operations and for them to know what contribution the Act would have on the ease of doing business”
Aboloma, assured that the 2015 Act is markedly different from the previous ones because it bestows certain privileges and powers to the organization and expand it mandate to give it the necessary impetus to encourage genuine business practices and the necessary bite to discourage practitioners that tend to short change consumers through products or imports of substandard products.
“Therefore, conscientious and diligent implementation of the Act would eliminate the preponderance of these products in the markets, thereby enhancing the capacity of local producers to compete favorably in the International markets”
“This is in addition to providing local producers especially SMEs with the relevant standards that enhance the ability to produce goods and services that meet the International standards,” he said.

Leave a Reply