By Victoria Hanson In a bid to stem the influx of fake and substandard products, the Director General of Standards Organization of Nigeria Dr. Joseph Odumodu has sought for compliance and collaboration from importers and the general public.
He made the call on Monday, during a courtesy visit to the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos State.
Mr. Odumodu disclosed that since his assumption of office, SON had seized numerous substandard goods worth 5 billion naira.
He however assured that plans were underway to reduce adulterated products to 15% to ensure that the Nigeria Ports and boarders are well policed, appealing to Nigerians to do the right thing or face prosecution.
Dr. Eugene Nweke who is the national president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) said they were professional freight forwarding association with affiliation to both international and national bodies.
As a professional freight association which is passionately engaged in public policy advocacy, the president said that they were involved in the concept of persuasion, negotiation, consultation, dialogue, communication as well as constructive engagement in their quest using the tools of rules of engagement for the adherence to international best practices.
He reaffirmed that Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) is a critical link within the international trade supply value chain, and also seized the opportunity to appreciate its enormous role and operations pursuant to product standards and quality conformity assessment programmes.
Dr Nweke who thanked the SON DG, noted that it would be a turning point for healthier working relationship between SON and NAGAFF sub sector of the economy
“In this era of e- commerce, trade cannot be facilitated under a rigid and uncoordinated processes and pry, hence the need for simplification, harmonization and coordination of activities ” he stated.
He therefore commended the leadership of Mr. Odumodu in the area of evolving an e- product registration, e- provision clearance certificate (PCC) and also advised him to further create a forum where their national officers and other members would be given proper training and sensitization programmes in order to afford their members in-depth understanding of the scheme.
