The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Tuesday challenged the Electronics Section of Alaba International Market Association, Lagos, on self-regulation while importing products.
The Director-General of SON, Mr Osita Aboloma made the appeal at a sensitisation workshop and awareness programme with the theme: “Promoting Self-Regulation to Eradicate Sub-Standard Electronics from Nigerian Market”.
Aboloma, represented by Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed, a Director in the DG’s office, said self-regulation would ensure that sub-standard products were not imported into the country.
He said that a committee was also established in collaboration with the association to ensure they meet required standard to reduce substandard products in the country.
The DG urged members of the association to go into creating brands of their own and to ensure that the products satisfy market requirements.
“Our mission here is to bring standards to all these importers because day-in-day-out people buy sub-standard products and these traders when confronted say that they are not aware that there are existing standards in the country.
“So, we feel the best thing to do is to come to their own bus stop instead of sitting in our own offices and tell them about it and how to address the issue.
“We also want to tell them to self-regulate themselves during importation,” he said.
He said that SON had established a task force, a committee with members of the association, and they would advise them of the Nigerian industrial standard and to be aware of what obtains in other clime.
The DG said that the quality of things bought in Alaba Electronics Market was getting better, but there was still room for improvement.
In his own contribution, Mr Obiora Manafa, Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, SON, told them that unbranded products fail market requirement.
Mr Paulinus Ugochukwu, Executive Chairman, International Market Association (Electronics Section), appealed for more time from the SON to enable some members who had commenced the SONCAP registration process to complete it.
According to him, it will also encourage others who are yet to commence the process to come onboard.
He added that based on this, they had set up a committee to work with SON in ensuring compliance.
“Here being a business community, we appreciate the unreserved support of Ojo Local Government and applaud the role and efforts put in by SON in sanitising and ridding the Nigerian markets of sub-standard products.NAN
