The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged Nigerian consumers to always insist on patronising made-in-Nigeria products as the move would help combat influx of fake and substandard goods into the country.
The director-general of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim stated this at a sensitisation exercise with the theme ‘Zero Tolerance for substandard products’.
He said, one of the factors responsible for the thriving market of substandard goods is the consumers’ penchant for imported goods.
According to him, local industries have the capacity to meet the nation’s needs, urging Nigerian consumers to always insist on only quality made-in-Nigeria products.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protect local industries, saying that they are veritable tools for providing job opportunities and creating wealth for the country.
He said the objective of the stakeholders’ forum is to reaffirm SON’s zero tolerance for substandard products in the country.
The SON boss said, “He is looking forward to a much stronger partnership local industries in its fight to rid Nigeria of unwholesome goods with no economic value.”
He pointed out the need to protect local investors who have invested huge funds to establish industries to employ the nation’s teeming unemployed youths, stressing that, these industries have the capacity to take lots of Nigerian youths off the streets while also preventing youths from being used as agents of destruction.
Earlier, the president of Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CAMAN), Mrs. Bukola Adubi, said SON’s relationship with CAMAN has been cordial, commending SON for the great work in their fight against substandard products in the country.
She stated that Nigeria’s cable one of the best cables in the world a feat she said would not be possible without SON’s support for local industries.
She pledged CAMAN’s support to SON in the fight against substandard products in the country while also reassuring the association’s commitment to producing goods that meets the minimum requirements of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS).
On his part, the assistant director, Membership service, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Joseph Emoleke, said “MAN had a very roburst Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) both parties signed for the development of the nation’s industrial sector.”
Guest speaker at the event, Mrs Chinyere Egwuonwu , said the economy would improve greatly, once sub-standard products is totally removed in Nigeria.
She listed products such as tyres, television sets and others among the sub-standard products in the country, stressing that they made their way into the country through open borders.
According to her, the menace is having grave consequences on the nation’s economy, especially affecting the labour sector. The over 720 participants that attended the workshop were chief executive officers, captains of industries and MSMEs.
