The Nation Newspaper

Category: Industry

  • Engineers push for safety in manufacturing, others

    Engineers push for safety in manufacturing, others

    The Nigerian chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has resolved to step up the campaign on safety operations in manufacturing and other sectors.

    It took the decision at its fourth yearly conference in Lagos.

    Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the conference presented a golden opportunity for participants to learn new things on safety.

    He said safety concerns have taken centre stage in the manufacturing process of companies operating in Nigeria hence, the need to put in place new measures to ensure that safety becomes the goal of government through education and enlightenment.

    The governor while noting that Lagos State with its huge population has its own safety challenges, said his administration has tried to address them by putting in place relevant agencies to ensure that acceptable standards are strictly adhered to.

    Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Oladejo, used the occasion to highlight the relentless efforts of the state government on safety and environment.

    He said for instance, the emergency unit of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has been well equipped to cope with safety issues.

    Also speaking, the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), represented by the Commander of Zone 2 Sector, Mr. Shehu Zhaki, revealed that accidents all over the globe posed safety problems. He said that 1.2 million people die in accidents annually all over the world, while 50 million people are wounded.

    He also said that Nigeria has been classified as one of the top five countries that record the highest number of road accidents in the world. The incessant road accidents in the country, he said, led the Federal Government to set up the FRSC in 1988 to reduce road accidents in the country.

    Zhaki stated that curbing the menace of road accidents is an onerous task that FRSC has been saddled with, adding that to be able to tackle this, the organisation has embarked on the training and retraining of its personnel.

    The General Manager, Upstream, Nigeria Safety, Health and Environment, ExxonMobil, Mrs. Carol A. Antaih, in her keynote address, said that occupational health and safety was becoming a worldwide concern not only for workers and their families, but also for governments, businesses and stakeholders.

    In the keynote address titled: Building a Safety Culture: Our Collective Responsibility, Antaih said that the most successful economies have demonstrated that workplaces designed according to principles of occupational health, safety and ergonomics are the most sustainable and productive.

    She shared some insights from ExxonMobil’s perspective on safety, which she said was towards excellence where ‘nobody gets hurt’ including employees, contractors and all stakeholders as well as communities where they do their business.

    Antaih stated that protecting the safety and health of the workforce is fundamental to the company’s business because safety is a core value and an integral part of its culture. “In fact, our commitment to sound sustainable environments, safety and security of our people form the foundation of our long term business success,” she said.

    The ExxonMobil safety manager said the company believes that no business objective should be pursued at the expense of safety.

    “We are relentless in our pursuit of safety so every employee and contractor returns home from work everyday safe and healthy. This is a commitment we make to ourselves and it underpins everything that we do in our operations every single day,” she said.

    Antaih revealed that ExxonMobil has over the past 10 years witnessed a 50 per cent reduction in lost time injuries and illness rates for employees and contractors, adding, “We are on a journey where the destination is zero hurt and we will remain committed to this goal.”

    She called on participants to focus on building a strong and sustainable safety culture for business and economic progress.

    Also speaking against the backdrop of building collapse and other unfortunate incidents in the construction industry, the Group Managing Director, Brickwall Group of Companies, Mr. Uche Ahubelem, said the issue of safety management has become even more critical in Nigeria.

    While stressing that safety is all encompassing, from manufacturing to everyday safety, Ahubelem urged government to encourage mangers of industries and businesses to insist on safety.

    Earlier in his remarks at the opening ceremony, the Consular General of the American embassy in Nigeria, Mr. John Bray, expressed pleasure in what ASSE is doing especially as it celebrates its 106 years this year.

    He noted that this was a remarkable achievement as it has been occupying a firm position in the health and safety sector.

    He praised ASSE Nigeria’s commitment in bringing government and the private sector together. The global team from the United States was led by the ASSE Global President, Thomas F. Cecich.

  • SON gives ultimatum to owners of LPG storage tanks

    SON gives ultimatum to owners of LPG storage tanks

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has given a two-week ultimatum to owners of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tanks nationwide to begin the process of SON certification or have their facilities shut down.

    A statement from the office of the Director-General, Mr. Osita Aboloma, in Abuja, said SON has observed a sharp rise in the installation of LPG storage tanks in petrol filling stations across the country, many of which have been unable to provide evidence of SON certification of the vessels.

    Aboloma, therefore, directed SON state offices to intensify the surveillance of installed LPG storage tanks in their areas of coverage to ascertain those that have SON certification before installation as required by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) regulation.

    He said imported and locally-made LPG storage tanks are required to undergo SON certification to ensure conformity to the requirements of Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) 419:2000, specification and testing of unfired pressure vessels for the storage of LPG and ASME Division 1 Section VIII.

    These, according to him, include safety and performance requirements.

    The SON boss said locally-manufactured vessels are required to undergo certification under the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), while imported vessels are to undergo the off-shore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certification.

    He appealed to the public to be vigilant and report any installation of LPG storage tanks in their vicinity to the nearest SON office for verification of compliance to standards in the interest of public safety.

  • Akwa Ibom, OPS chart course for MSMEs

    Akwa Ibom, OPS chart course for MSMEs

    The Akwa Ibom State Government and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) have met on the way forward for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

    At a National Enterprise Development Workshop in Lagos, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel said most countries transformed their economies by prioritising the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs), saying that Nigeria should support and provide a conducive environment for MSMEs to thrive.

    The workshop organised by Hudson Group and Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) was co-sponsored by the Akwa Ibom State Government.

    Emmanuel, represented by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, said opportunities were numerous for MSMEs to use. He added that in the last 10 years, the Akwa Ibom State government has invested a lot in infrastructural development and security, and made the environment conducive for investment.

    “The Akwa Ibom State government is committed to providing the enabling environment across different sectors of the economy.

    “Our MSME operations are youth-based, because we know the youths are the future of the world and what we have done is to empower the younger generation by equipping them with the requisite knowledge and skills to run their own businesses,” Udoh said.

    He cited the Akwa Ibom Enterprises and Employment Scheme (AKEES) tailored towards empowering youths. According to him, the state has trained over 4,000 youths  to stand on their own.

    His words: “I am here to showcase the state’s investment and tourism opportunities. In the last two years, Akwa Ibom has been driving these two sectors because we know we have the massive infrastructure that tourist could utilise and we also know the state’s revenue is predominantly oil-based.”

    Udoh pointed out that with the price of oil dwindling, the state government thought of the urgent need to diversify the state’s revenue base to other revenue-yielding opportunities.

    “We have been diversifying our state’s revenue base through agriculture, industrialisation, man power development and the likes. This is just one opportunity that we are trying to use to sell the potentials we have in Akwa Ibom State,” he stated.

    At the event, the Director-General, Small &Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, said the number of persons employed by the MSMEs’ sub-sector as at December, 2013, stood at 59,741,211, representing 84.02 per cent of the total labour force.

    Underscoring the importance of the sector, he stressed that MSMEs’ contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in nominal terms stood at 48.47 per cent as at the period under review, while its export contribution accounted for 7.27 per cent.

    On the agency’s activities, Radda said it is involved in designing programmes and projects, creating the appropriate platforms and partnerships for addressing some known constraints of MSMEs.

    He, however, advised that to properly position and develop this all-important sub-sector, all the challenges militating against its optimal performance must be deliberately confronted.

    He said: “Though, MSMEs in Nigeria are still largely informal in nature, they have contributed immensely to the national economy. Several common but limiting factors have however constrained them over the years.

    “These include poor access to useable funds, capital, difficulties in procuring raw materials, lack of access to relevant business information, difficulties in marketing and distribution of products.”

    Radda, represented by the Director of Enterprise, Mr. Wale Fasanya,  listed   low  technological capabilities, high cost of transportation, and communication as problems caused by cumbersome and costly bureaucracy in getting necessary approvals or licences and policies and regulations that generate market distortions among the major draw backs.

    The SMEDAN chief noted that in the face of the economic recession, MSMEs were expected to serve as catalyst for reversing the downslide.

    “This expectation is certainly not misplaced, but would have been more justifiable if an enabling environment can be provided for each of the over 37 million MSMEs,” he added.

    Also speaking, Director, Hudson Group, Mr. Tom Iseghohi, said the event was organised as an event between the Federal Government and the private sector, because the MSME sector remained the engine room of most economies including Nigeria.

    He maintained that MSMEs already provide 70 per cent of the jobs and 80 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. Iseghohi, however, said the sector was faced with lots of obstacles. “This event would go a long way to chart the way forward to address these challenges.

    “We have brought together the best private sector minds and some Federal Government minds from the state level, international bodies to brainstorm and deploy the strategy that would lead to the sector’s growth.

    “This sector will have massive impact on employment, GDP, exchange rate and the likes,” he said, adding that the main problem SMEs have is lack of access to technical capacity, funding and markets.

  • How technology can propel Africa’s growth, by experts

    For African countries to move from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based and innovation-driven one, there is the need to efficiently harness the power of technology, experts have said.

    At the sixth edition of the Lecture Series and 10th Anniversary of the Verdant Zeal Group, held in Lagos, recently, experts noted that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) needed to embrace the power of technology to help Africa develop exponentially.

    Verdant Zeal Group Executive Vice Chairman Mr. Tunji Olugbodi cautioned that oil, which Nigeria’s economic mainstay, would dry up in the next 50 years. He, therefore, advised policy makers and governments to do the right thing by embracing technology and innovation.

    “The way to go is for Africa to gradually move from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy,” Olugbodi said, noting that some African countries have embraced technology to drive economic development and growth.

    According to him, this has helped to impact youths, as many of them have embraced the Internet, using it to share ideas, content and commercial opportunities seamlessly across the globe.

    “These giant strides have happened regardless of red tape bureaucracy that typifies governance across the continent,” he added.

    He said Internet penetration woud continue to grow, as Africa seeks to close the gap in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Noting that Nigeria leads the continent, he projected that the country would be among the top 10 Internet users in the world by 2018.

    Olugbodi, however, said: “Amid these giant strides in technology, there still remains a large demography of young people, mostly women, who remain in rural and semi-urban areas, below the poverty line and seem unable to tap into this new economy.”

    Also, the guest lecturer and Founder, JC Capital (PTY), South Africa, Joel Chimhanda, said Africans should think as Africans and be aware that it can’t compete globally without industrialisation. He regretted that over 90 per cent of Africans are not banked, even with the $25 billion that flow into Nigeria yearly as Diaspora fund.

    He frowned on African governments for not encouraging ICT development on the continent, adding that Africa needs its own Silicon Valley.

    According to Chimhanda, Nigeria can help change the African narrative for the better. He said with a population of about 200 million, Nigeria can lead the pack if she so wishes.

    “We have to come up with regulations that will spur innovation not just in Nigeria, but across the continent. Chimhanda admonished, pointing out that “the continent is not growing from the manpower perspective because we do not have a well structured education system.”

    He called for all hands to be on deck to move the continent forward in terms of technological advancement rather than wait for the West to help determine the continent’s  narrative or depend on aids.

    The JC Capital founder regretted the colonial mentality in Africa that makes Africans believe that their problems can only be solved by a ‘White man’. “In South Africa, about 20 Afrikaans control the economy; globally, only about eight countries control the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he said.

    Chimhanda said sadly, in Africa, rather than creating African products that will solve Africa’s problems, her political leaders go cup-in-hand for aids, and in some instances, sell off the continent’s common patrimony for a few dollars.

    According to him, African nations, spear-headed by Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya should tap into the opportunity provided by technology through some of the telecoms companies and the rich Africans who are trail blazers in different fields of the economy.

    He also canvassed the need for a different education system in the country that will aggregate the interest of over 200 million people. He insisted that the educational system cannot bring the nation out of the woods, as 60 per cent of what is thought in the university is different from what the competitive work place is looking for.

    To underscore the need for African economies to embrace technology, the Founder, Lifebank, Mrs. Temie Giwa-Tubosun, said her firm has deployed technology to assist help givers offer speedy and quality healthcare to the public.

    Lifebank is a company that uses technology, big data and smart logistics to solve the problem of blood shortage in Nigeria. Giwa-Tubosun, who expressed regrets that Nigerians spend over a billion dollar yearly on health tourism in India, asked government to make the sector robust enough to drive quality health care through technology.

    Co-Founder, Leads Africa, a digital media company which focuses on young professional African women, Ms Afua Osei, canvassed the need for women entrepreneurs to access finance, skills and technology.

    Osei, who also worked with the former US First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama, said her organisation has enabled women to use social media to acquire skills and communicate across borders.

    She called for the reduction of data prices, stressing that it is the only way this class of people can take advantage of payment platforms that will drive their businesses.

  • Tanzania’s Dewji bags Africa CEO award

    Group Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed Entreprise Tanzania Limited (MeTL), Mohammed Dewji, has bagged the prestigious Africa CEO of the Year award.

    He beat other heavyweights across the continent to take home one of the biggest awards in Africa’s private sector at a gala dinner organised by the Africa CEO Forum.

    Dewji thanked the organisers, saying for the honour. He also thanked John Magufuli, Tanzania’s President for his fight against corruption.

    Anta Babacar Ngom Bathily was crowned ‘Young CEO of the Year’ for her leadership skills as Executive Director of Sedima, Senegal’s leading agribusiness group.

    Created at last year’s Forum, the award recognises a promising young African business leader under 45. Ms. Ngom Bathily dedicated her award to “all women and young women” as well as to her father, who was at the ceremony.

    Egypt-based Elsewedy Electric received the African Company of the Year award, presented to a representative of the Group CEO Ahmed Elsewedy, who said as an African company, Elsewedy “has an obligation to take part in the development and in bringing the right technology to solve Africa’s challenges”.

    The award for African Bank of the year went to Morocco’s leading Attijariwafa Bank, ranked Africa’s fourth largest bank with over seven million clients and more than 16,000 employees in 24 countries. The bank’s CEO Mohamed El Kettani received the prize from Amir Ben Yahmed, Founder and President of the Africa CEO Forum.

    The Private Equity Investor of the Year award was given to AfricInvest, a Tunisia-based firm dedicated to the international expansion of French SMEs in Africa. The award presentation was done by EmnaKharouf, Managing Partner at Deloitte ConseilTunisie.

    German insurer Allianz and Portuguese company Mota-Engil, who together have been operating in Africa for over two decades, were the joint winners of this year’s International Corporation of the year award. The award was presented by Michael Rheinnegger, Managing Partner of Rainbow Limited to representatives from both corporations.

  • ‘Nurture MSMEs to boost GDP’

    Robust Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are drivers of growth in any economy, creating employment, value and generation of foreign exchange. In Nigeria, the MSMEs contribute substantially to the economy, hence the need to nurture them for more growth, says the Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in this report by OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are essential components of any healthy economy. They contribute about 48.47 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Director-General, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, has said.

    The sub-sector represents over 90 percent of enterprises in most developing countries, and contributes between 40-60 per cent of the total output or value added to national economies,  Umaru Radda added.

    Radda, who spoke at an event organised in Lagos by the Enterprise Development Solution Initiative (EDSI) and supported by some state governments, said the sub-sector remained the key driver of our economy, urging the Federal Government to provide an enabling environment for them to thrive.

    He stated that a nurtured and well-structured MSME sub-sector could contribute significantly to employment generation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

    On the quantum of MSMEs, Umaru Radda, who was represented by the Director of Enterprise, Mr. Wale Fasanya, said as at 2013, the number stood at 37,067,416 distributed as follows, micro-36,994,578, small-68,168, and medium-4,670.

    On creation of jobs in the sector, Umaru Radda stated that the total number of persons employed by the MSME sub-sector as at December, 2013 stood at 59,741,211, representing 84.02 per cent of the total labour force.

    Underscoring the importance of the sector, he stressed that MSMEs’ contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in nominal terms stood at 48.47 percent as at the period under review while its export contribution accounted for 7.27 per cent.

    On the activities of the agency, he said it’s involved in designing programmes and projects, creating appropriate platforms and partnerships for addressing some constraints of MSMEs.

    He, however, advised that, to properly position and develop this all-important sub-sector, all the challenges militating against its optimal performance should be confronted.

    He said: “Though, MSMEs in Nigeria are still largely informal in nature, they have contributed immensely to the national economy. Several common but limiting factors have, however, constrained them over the years. These include poor access to useable funds, capital, difficulties in procuring raw materials, lack of access to relevant business information, difficulties in marketing and distribution of products. Other issues, he stated, include low technological capabilities, high cost of transportation, communication problems, problems caused by cumbersome and costly bureaucratic procedures in getting necessary approvals or licences and policies and regulations that generate market distortions.

    On how the country can come out of recession, he stated that in the face of the present economic recession, the MSMEs are expected to serve as catalyst for reversing the economic downslide. This expectation is certainly not misplaced but would have been more justifiable if an enabling environment can be provided for each of the over 37million MSMEs, he added.

    On the limitations of SMEDAN’s mandate, he said: “As a neonate organisation saddled with the enormous responsibilities of sustainably developing the MSMSE sub-sector, we are working as mandatorily permissible and operationally possible to “knock off” some of these limiters.

    He regretted that funding has always been a major challenge such as in MSMEs start-up/expansion funds, compliance requirements, workspace, equipment, raw materials and personnel, among others.

    The SMEDAN chief observed that adequate funding is also critical for the procurement of resources, human capital, technical, operational, among others, to deliver the Agency’s mandate across the country.

    According to him, the poor synergy among government institutions has also greatly limited the realisation of the good intentions of government for MSMEs.  He said the mandates and responsibilities of agencies of government usually overlap resulting in duplications, wastages and non-realisation of set out objectives.

    He also noted that the inability of MSMEs to demand/request and pay for critical Business Development Services (BDS) is another challenge. BDS are mainly non-financial services and products offered to entrepreneurs at various stages of their business needs. These services are primarily aimed at skills transfer or business advice. According to him, BDS enables MSMEs be competitive as production and products standards are regularly upgraded, adding that the rate of process and equipment obsoleteness is high.

    On the way forward, he canvassed the amendment of SMEDAN Act and the creation of a Credit Information Portal. He said the portal is intended to ease up the task of sourcing for information regarding available credit facilities for MSMEs.

    The Portal provides an information pool that will assist entrepreneurs make informed decisions in getting loans and credits from financial institutions within their locations, he stated.

    Others are a One-Stop-Shop Initiative that will be a platform to minimally reduce the bureaucracy of starting and growing an enterprise in Nigeria.  This, he explained, will allow for the enablers such as National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to synergise in the delivery of their mandates to the MSMEs.

    Others, he said, include a National Collateral Registry, which will allow MSMEs to secure loans against assets such as machinery, livestock, and inventory and will aid further the financial inclusion plans for the nation’s MSMEs.

    According to him, the Agency is also championing the establishment of an SME rating agency to enhance competitiveness and ease access to funds.  Others are market linkages that will create and grow market database for the real-time and on-time use by MSMEs.

    On access to functional workspace, he said, the Agency has initiated moves to create Small Enterprises Incubation Centre to be located within the existing Industrial Development Centres across the country. Such Centres will address the challenges MSMEs usually have to affordable utilities.

    The SMEDAN chief further canvassed stakeholders’ engagement and town hall meetings, National and State Council on MSMEs, National MSMEs Policy Implementation, among others.

    On equipment linkages, he said: “The drudgery in the production process and low capacity utilisation in some enterprises have discouraged many existing and potential entrepreneurs. One major problem aside the cost of acquisition is the dearth of information as to where the appropriate equipment can be sourced. Towards ameliorating this, SMEDAN is developing a database in partnership with both domestic and foreign equipment manufacturers, fabricators and leasers.”

  • BUA among top 50 companies to work for in Nigeria

    BUA Group has been named among the first 50 companies to work by Jobberman in its “Best 100 Companies to Work For” which focuses on recognising and celebrating top employers in the country.

    The company was rated ahead of some financial institutions, telecom operators, fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and other corporate outfits that featured on the list.

    According to the Group Head, Human Resources, Dotun Adako, the feat is indicative of BUA’s consistent commitment to employee welfare, human capital development, work-life balance, competitive remuneration and an equal opportunity policy.

    Speaking further, he said it was no surprise BUA Group made the list because it is reputable for investing in employee development, adherence to acceptable labour practices and seeking to enhance positive employee workplace experience.

    BUA Group is working hard to move up the ladder in the next the ranking.

    The third Annual Jobberman Best 100 Companies to Work For’ is focused on identifying, recognising and celebrating top employers in Nigeria, as rated by employees and professionals.

    BUA Group is a leading foods and infrastructure conglomerate  with investments spanning key business sectors of the economy.

    It is spread across the country and with an international presence in London.

  • Fed Govt sanctions 313 mining firms

    No fewer than 313 mining companies have been sanctioned by the Federal Government over non fulfilment of environmental obligations.

    The Director, Mines Environmental Compliance Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Salim Salaam, stated this in Abuja.

    Salaam said the operators were issued sanction letters on March 20 for failing to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Programme (EPRP) and the Community Development Agreement (CDA).

    He said four of the companies affected were given “stop work” order, adding that the ministry had warned them severally but they refused to comply with the environmental obligations.

    Salaam said five companies’ licences were revoked over failure to comply with the environmental obligations despite several notices issued by the ministry.

    “One out of the five companies is a foreign one in Bauchi, three in Cross River and nne in Oyo State; all their licences have been revoked completely,” he said.

    He said, however, that 20 mining companies were issued warning letters to comply with the Mining Act to avoid revocation.

    He said the ministry had decided not to renew licences of the remaining 284 mining companies, except the Minister, Dr Kayode Fayemi give them another chance to fulfil all environmental requirements.

    He said that some of the defaulters did not conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before commencing operations, adding that this could be dangerous to the host communities’ health and cause environmental degradations.

    EIA is a study being conducted by mining operators to ascertain in advance the impact of the project on the environment and on the lives of the host communities.

    He also explained that some conducted EIA but refused to fulfill the CDA of the host communities and the EPRP.

    “Mining operators are mandated to conduct EPRP, according to Section 119 of the Nigerian Mining Act. The CDA is also mandatory under Section 116 of the Act for mining operators to sign an agreement with host communities on what to do to improve their livelihoods. The idea of conducting EIA is to proffer mitigation measures against mining impacts before commencing operation,’’ he said.

    He said the problems in the Niger Delta were as a result of CDA as the communities were complaining that oil companies were conducting exploration and extraction but refused to meet their needs.

    He added that the CDA was provided as a measure in the Mining Act for mining operators to fulfill their obligations socially and economically to their host communities to avoid problems.

    Salam said the ministry sanctioned no fewer than 20 mining companies over non-compliance with its laws and regulations.

     

  • NEPC, Japan partner on packaging agric produce for export

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has  partnered Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to improve the quality of packaging of agricultural produce for export.

    NEPC Executive Director Mr. Segun Awolowo announced this at a capacity building programme in Lagos.

    The theme of the programme was: “Logistical packaging technology for agricultural products.”

    Awolowo said the synergy would reduce post-harvest losses arising from poor packaging. According to him, there is no shortcut to producers of vegetables and perishable products to be competitive in the global market without quality packaging.

    “About 50 per cent of fresh fruits are lost as a result of poor packaging, handling and preservation. The capacity building programme will assist the average farmer and exporter to gain better insights into issues related to global standards on packaging for export. Our resolve to collaborate with Japan and other stakeholders is borne out of the need to drastically reduce post-harvest losses among farmers, processors and exporters leading to revenue losses,” he said.

    Awolowo said the partnership aligned with the policy of the government to curtail the rejection of produce from Nigeria. He added that packaging and standards were global issues that determined product development and sustainability of its market.

    “Needless to point out that a good quality product without efficient packaging is as good as a bad product,” Awolowo said.

    Trade Commissioner, JETRO, Mr. Taku Miyazaki, said the collaboration was essential to the development of the agriculture sector and actualisation of the diversification agenda of the country.

    According to Miyazaki, there is huge potential in the country’s agriculture sector with Nigeria being number one producer of commodities, such as yam, cassava, groundnut and maize.

    “Nigeria is the biggest supplier of sesame to Japan for the purpose of producing edible oil. In 2016, Nigeria exported approximately 55,000 tonnes of sesame to Japan.

    “JETRO wants to contribute and encourage exportation of Nigerian agricultural products to the world through provision of logistical packaging technology,” he said.

    Miyazaki said the partnership would promote investment, enhance export and boost the trade relations between Nigeria and Japan.

  • SON seizes substandard electrical products

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has seized substandard electrical products worth billions of naira at a warehouse  in Okokomaiko, Lagos.

    Its Director-General, Mr. Osita Aboloma, told reporters that the items owned by a Chinese were also labelled with a forged SON registration identity. They included electrical switches, sockets, energy saving bulbs, street lamps, rechargeable fans and lamp holders, among others.

    Aboloma said the importer could not tender any document to back the importation nor could he provide a certification from SON (SONCAP).

    Aboloma, who was represented by Mr. Suleiman Isa, head, Market Surveillance, said the fake products were found by its Surveillance Unit 111.

    Aboloma added that SON had to confiscate the products after efforts  by the owner to show proof and certification failed.

    “The owner was invited to our office to show proof of importation and certification by SON, but the owner refused to show up. That is why we are here today. We have seized all the products because they have very funny labels. We have also seen some of the products with SON logo, which is not our official logo. That means the products were illegally brought in,” Aboloma said.

    Aboloma urged the public to look at products carefully before purchase, especially the expiry date, SONCAP logo and if the seal was tampered with.

    The agency’s state Coordinator, Lagos Office III, Mrs. Ngozi Ekwueme, said the warehouse would remain sealed until investigation on how the products entered into the country was concluded.

    A senior staff member of the company said he could not speak for the importer.

    In another development, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Chairman Chief Kola Jamodu has lamented the continued influx of fake  products into the market, urging the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to  curtail the scourge.

    He spoke in Lagos at the presentation of International Organisation for Standardisation’s ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems certificates to the company for its Ikorodu and Aba factories, by SON’s Director-General Dr. Osita Aboloma.

    ISO 9001:2015 QMS is the latest version that replaced the ISO 9001:2008, and PZ Cussons is the first manufacturing company in the country to achieve the certification after a year of rigorous audits of its manufacturing processes across factories.

    Jamodu commended the SON chief, asking him to sustain the heat on importers of fake and sub-standard products. He stressed that indigenous manufacturers needed to be protected. He urged SON  to stop  the influx of fake and substandard products.

    He commended the standards body for having put the ISO 9001:2015 in place, stressing “we have continuously made self-regulation our target and we are, therefore, pleased to be the first Nigerian company to achieve the certification.”

    Aboloma said: “The agency is determined to see that SON does not only seize substandard products but that those behind it are prosecuted.”

    He lauded PZ Cusson’s achievement, saying: “By this feat, the company has joined a privileged class of ISO 9001:2015 QMS certified organisations and a trail blazer for other manufacturers to follow on the requirements for this standards.”