Rabiu Omaku
The Director General Standard organization of Nigeria (SON) Dr. Joseph Odumodu said the global dwindling oil prices is an opportunity to look inward to upgrade home-made manufactured products especially from agriculture and mineral resources sectors,”
He noted that the dwindling global oil prices calls for affirmative action and the need for the diversification of the nation’s economy, saying there was need for MSMEs in the country to imbibe standardization and quality assurance to boost exportation.
Dr. Joseph stated this during the flag-off of the subsidy of sales of standards to MSMEs at a sensitization workshop in Lafia, Nasarawa state,He said the subsidy on the sales of standards to MSMEs was meant to add values to locally made products to meet international standards.
“The aim is to promote opportunities for global acceptance of local made products. Consequently, all MSMEs are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity,” He said the 25 per cent subsidy would encourage our MSMEs to collaborate with SON to ensure that their products are competitive enough to discourage importation.
“It would also encourage voluntary compliance with the application of standards in production processes to meet the needs of the consumers for quality products,” Odumodu said, The Director General explained that SON has an Internationally Accredited Food and Chemical laboratory with the capacity for testing Eight parameters for agricultural produce with high export potentials in the country.
Odumodu said that apart from the sale of standards, the sensitization exercise would go a long way to enlighten the people on how to identify substandard products, avoid patronage and run counterfeiter products.
The Director also announced free Certification for 20 MSMEs in Nasararwa state as incentive to encourage others to partner with SON in its quest for product standardization in the country.
Nasarawa state Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa commended SON for the gesture at reducing sale of standards saying it would boost the acceptability of locally made products at the international market.
Al-Makura, who was represented by the Secretary to the state government (SSG) Suleiman Azorres called on government to give adequate attention to SON in order to give impetus to its quest to diversify the economy away from oil.
