SON DG  Harps on Self-regulatory Ethical Practices

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Ifeanyi C. Okeke, has stressed the need for manufacturing, construction and business organisations in the country to make self-regulation and adherence to professional ethics their watchword for a seamless achievement of sustainable quality standards and global competitiveness.

Okeke, who made these remarks at a Stakeholders’ Sensitisation/Awareness Forum in Asaba, Delta State, emphasised that all operators must shun substandard products and services but maintain good quality control at all times.

The forum, with the theme, “Promoting Quality Standards Through Self-Regulation and Observation of Ethics,” was attended by a spectrum of stakeholders from the manufacturing, metallurgy, electrical, solar power, construction and fabrication as well as distribution business and other sectors of the Nigerian economy especially in the South-South geopolitical zone.

He said that under his watch, SON has expanded its International Accreditation Scope with SON Laboratory Services, achieving, “a remarkable expansion of its ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation scope by A2LA – increasing from 23 accredited parameters to 52 within a single year (2024). This includes critical parameters such as sulphur content in petrol and diesel, positioning SON as a top-tier laboratory service provider in Africa.”

Represented by Corporate Affairs Directorate of SON, Mrs Ethan Talatu, Director, the he said, “Standardisation and quality assurance require the involvement of all, public or private sector operators.  SON has been enjoying robust engagement with all relevant sectors due to our belief that as a regulatory agency, we need to continually work with industry players, MSMEs, business operators, market associations, stakeholders, importers and exporters and all other segments of the society.”

His described as germane the theme of the workshop, Promoting Quality Standards Through Self-Regulation and Observation of Ethics, saying it was in tandem with, “the current efforts by the Tinubu administration to turn around the nation’s economy.”