SON Cautions Nigerian Manufacturers, SMEs against Cutting Corners

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said unless the nation’s manufacturers and entrepreneurs stopped cutting corners and appreciate the need to comply with due process, it would be difficult for them to effectively compete with their foreign partners.

The organisation’s Director General, Mr. Osita Aboloma spoke at a sensitisation workshop on Mobile Calibration Services organised by his agency in collaboration with Turaki Heritage in Enugu for manufacturers and industrialists from the five South-east states.

Aboloma, who was represented by the Director of National Metrology Institute of the SON, Engr. Manafa Obiorah said but for the penchant for cutting corners, Nigerian manufacturers ought to be the best in the world. He also stressed the need for industrialists to build quality infrastructure to their products sp as to easily facilitate exportation.

“Our local products can effectively compete with products all over the world. We have very good products here, for instance we have one of the best electric cables in the world.

“Our products are very good especially the agriculture products, natural, organic, not artificial. We only need quality infrastructure that will support them to go out there. By the time they do the needful and get certificates from accredited laboratories, the sky will be their limit because foreigners treasure these certificates,” he said.

Aboloma further stressed the need for industrialists in the zone to make use of the SON’s Mobile Calibration Service in order to build confidence in their products.

“When you plan to export and you have good calibration service, it will facilitate the exportation of your products,” the SON Boss insisted, adding that the organisation remained committed to standards and quality in its dealing.

Also speaking, one of the resource persons at the workshop, Engr. Abdulrasheed Badamosi said once the nation’s manufacturers as well as Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (SMEs) complied with due process, they would go places.

He lamented that corruption had permeated all the sectors, noting that manufacturers must have strict regards to calibration and certification in their own interest.

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