The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has called for more collaboration with all stakeholders in the maritime industry to achieve zero substandard import.
The organisation also called for sensitisation and education of the importers and the general public on the importance of quality goods and services.
Osita Aboloma, SON Director General/CEO, made the call in his address at the sensitisation workshop for the maritime sector operators organised at the weekend in collaboration with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding In Nigeria (CRFFN), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in Lagos.
Aboloma, who was represented by the Director of Inspectorate Compliance Department, Obiora Manafa, argued that the job standardisation, quality assurance as well as campaign against substandard products had always remained a collaborative and partnership efforts between SON and the various stakeholders.
He further stressed that over 75 % of the bulk of products that enter into Nigeria come through the seaports and waterways, hence it would be difficult to ignore the operators in the quest for zero imports of substandard and unwholesome products as well as the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business, (EODB).
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The SON boss, however, expressed belief that continuous engagement with sectoral operators and stakeholders would help the organisation carry everybody along in the zero tolerance campaign against substandard, fake and counterfeit products.
“One major means and ways of bringing the players on board the standard and quality voyage is through sensitisation and enlightenment. Recall that such fora had been organised by the SON in recent times, but since the end justifies the means, there is need for continuous, robust engagement in order to ease the challenges involved in standard enforcement and monitoring compliance,” he added.
He lamented that non-involvement of SON at some ports had continued to bring a stud to the agency’s compliance and monitoring units, stressing that it was easier to wage war against influx of substandard products at the point of entry than chasing them around all over the markets in the country and warehouses.
Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), pointed out that online payment, billing, e-invoicing, e-transmision were all tools for trade facilitation adopted by SON, which had made business seamless to get rid of corruption.
He commended SON for raising the Nigerian flag high in the global standard community where over 164 countries converged under the aegis of Geneva-based International Standard Organisation (ISON), and urged it not to relent.
