Stakeholders in the Nigerian port industry have tasked the Federal Government to reverse its directive and return the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to the ports.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry, Mr. Sam Egwu, urged the executive arm of government to revisit the case and reverse its directive.
He said, “We cannot overemphasise the issue of standardisation, because it is the core area of every manufacturing output. We are not happy that SON is not allowed to operate at its maximum capacity, especially with their presence being felt at the port.
“We have seen products coming into the country from countries that do not have standards and these goods are all cloned with SON logo. This is certainly not good for the Nigerian economy. If not for SON in its efforts to rid this country, they would have gone into the hands of the unsuspecting consumers.”
Chairman, Board, Balogun Business Association, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, Mr. Okey Ezibe, called on the managers of the economy to bring SON back to the nation’s seaports, adding that this was the easiest and safest way to stop fake and sub-standard goods from coming into the country.
He said, “These goods are better checked at the ports and not in the markets. Dealing in fake and substandard products is a crime to humanity and poses great danger for the nation’s economy. As a result of this, we have decided to collaborate with SON to collectively fight this battle against substandard goods.”
However, NPA had, in the process of implementing the executive order on ease of doing business, issued by acting President Yemi Osinbajo, last year, ordered SON and other related agencies that were affected to immediately vacate the ports across the country.
Managing Director, NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, had said there were only seven agencies mandated to operate in the port, adding that any agency operating in the port outside of the approved agencies should vacate the
place.
