Gilbert Ekugbe
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, noting that the MSME sector plays a significant role in job opportunities for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.
The Director General, SON, Farouk Salim, noted that SON would continue to encourage, build and guide local producers of goods and services on quality assurance and quality control.
Salim gave the assertion during a presentation of the MSMEs Clinics Award in Abuja recently.
He commended the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo for the initiative of the MSMEs Clinics, an initiative to strengthen the MSMEs in the country through government agency’s interventions and also the award for best MSMEs, stating that it is a good reward and recognition system for our teeming small scale manufacturers’ growth.
He recalled that at the Award ceremony earlier in the year, he was personally elated seeing Zainab Ismaila the Managing Director ZIA Spices receiving her award and prize money especially from that part of the country, positioning her as an industrious woman who has done well to achieve the award.
Salim further encouraged her as an employer of labour, to see herself as a role model to other women by sharing her experiences with the female folk in the North East and Nigeria as a whole.
The SON boss also revealed that SON is currently building capacity for Halal standards, stating that products tested, measured and certified with Halal Standards by SON, will help scale up products for export to countries recognising the standards, and help to improve the Nigerian Economy immensely.
In her response, the MD of ZIA Spices, Mrs. Zainab Ismail expressed gratitude to SON and Gombe State Office for their support and guidance on standards, quality assurance and good manufacturing practices, encouragement, that helped her to become a winner amongst other entrepreneurs.
Zainab also thanked SON for the donation of a 10 KVA generator, as it will go a long way in solving power problems in her small scale productions, promising to continue to adhere to standards and being an ambassador of SON.
The Regional Coordinator North East Adamu Abba Bauchi in his remarks commended the DG for his support to the regional office, he also extolled the Gombe State Coordinator for the support given to the MSMEs in the state especially the award winner, ZIA Spices.
The State Coordinator, James Yakzum stated that out of many entrepreneurs, approached by the office, ZIA spices followed all the procedures given by SON on quality assurance and quality control, hence their achievement of the MSMEs Clinic Award.
The Ag. Director Operations Mr. Yakubu Dauda applauded the award winner for her tenacity in complying to Standards that has bought her this worthy reward encouraging her to keep it up also stating that Operations Department will continue to support State offices towards enhancing local productions.
The Head SMEs desk, Mrs. Phebean Arumemi in her remarks stated that SON sits as the Secretary of the MSMEs Clinic Award committee and its activities are very stringent and transparent, she therefore praised ZIA Spices for scaling through to be a winner.
Arumemi disclosed further the activities of SON towards SMEs, stating that the SME’s desk is available to attend to the challenges experienced by local manufacturers through the State offices nationwide.
