By Franklin Alli

The Standards Organistaion of Nigeria (SON) has adopted new strategies to end the entry of substandard products into the economy over the next four years. These strategies were contained in a five -point agenda unveiled by the new Director General of SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu.

Odumodu said top among his administration’s agenda is withdrawal of substandard products from the economy.
Accordingly, he has directed local and foreign manufacturers and their  importers to start recalling substandard products from circulation within one month or face the wrath of the law.

He warned that at the expiration of the one-month ultimatum effective , products entering the country will henceforth will be issued with certificates of free use from the country of origin in addition to the SON’s Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

“Products not good enough for citizens of the producer countries must never again be dumped on Nigerians because we will no longer refrain from questioning what we buy and consume.

“We have had enough of the idea that Nigerian importers always request for lower standards from producers,” he said. According to him, the agenda would also ensure that the nation’s agricultural produce and other products made in Nigeria meet export standards.

According to him, SON will also insist that importers of goods and their agents bring in goods that conform to standards through proper monitoring of all ports of entry.

He explained that after the expiration of the one-month notice, vendors of substandard goods would be made to explain how such goods came into the country.

He said that SON had worked out plans that would ensure that such foreign manufacturers were blacklisted from exporting goods to Nigeria.

Odumodu disclosed that SON would send a bill to the National Assembly to ensure that unscrupulous importers were made to pay compensation for importing substandard products.

“In the new arrangement, the presence of SON officials at the various ports will cease to serve as mere formality, as we have witnessed in the immediate past,” he said.

He noted that the organisation would also embark on aggressive procurement of equipment with staff orientation to ensure effective service delivery.

“There are some equipment that was brought into the country about four years ago and still lying fallow. We have to act fast and fix those of them that are still good,” he said.