SON DG, Joseph Odumodu
Crusoe Osagie
Leaders of the 65 registered markets within Lagos Island have resolved to join hands with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in its campaign of Zero Tolerance to substandard products.
The resolution, to flush out all non-conforming, life endangering and fake products, was the outcome of a market sensitisation programme organised for the Market Leaders in Lagos in conjunction with the Coordinator of the Markets on the Island, Alhaja Raliat Adetayo.
Addressing the market leaders on behalf of the Director General of the SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, SON’s Regional Coordinator for South West, Mr. Adebayo Adegun, said the forum was aimed at informing and enlightening the market leaders on the imperative of standards and the dangers posed to the nation and its people by the manufacture, importation and distribution of substandard products.
According to him, SON’s approach was to encourage self-regulation among the marketers through regular interactions before invoking its powers under the law to enter any premises in Nigeria where products are being produced, stored or sold to remove all substandard products and raw materials for their production.
Odumodu informed the market leaders of the various initiatives by government through SON including the opening of help desks in major markets in the country to provide assistance to consumers in products purchase and receive complaints with a view to monitoring products performance.
Such help desks, he said have become operational at the Alaba International Market and the Computer Village in Lagos.
The SON Director General stated that a survey of markets have been carried out to identify where substandard products are prevalent and urged the market leaders to do a soul searching with a view to avoiding the negative consequences of standards enforcement in their markets and warehouses.
Odumodu then gave tips to the market leaders on how to avoid dealing in substandard products including patronage of certified made-in-Nigeria products with the mark of quality, checking labelling, manufacturers’ claims, warranty, conformity certificates etc. and urged them to remove all substandard products in their various markets within two weeks.
Welcoming the SON delegation to the forum, Alhaja Adetayo expressed appreciation to the SON boss for the collaborative initiative, pledging her members’ commitment to helping rid the nation of substandard products.
According to her, members of the 65 gazetted market associations in Lagos Island have resolved to work with the SON officials in realising the objectives of the Zero Tolerance to substandard products campaign.
Adetayo however appealed to SON to extend its two weeks ultimatum to enable the market leaders carry out intensive sensitisation of their members before the enforcement activity commences.
Many leaders of the various market associations in turn pledged their commitment to the collaboration to rid the markets of substandard products in the overall interest of the nation and its people.
They however advised the SON operatives to liaise with the leader of all markets in the state, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, with a view to carrying the message across to all markets in Lagos State.