The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SON

  • Wife to husband: produce our son missing for seven years

    A woman, Mrs. Mojirayo Arokoyo, has told the Igando Customary Court in Lagos to compel her husband to disclose the whereabouts of their son, a medical student, who has been missing for seven years.

    Mojirayo, a 53-year-old caterer, made the appeal while giving evidence in a divorce suit filed by her husband, Mr. Michael Arokoyo, who is seeking the dissolution of their 33 years marriage.

    The petitioner wanted divorce on the grounds of lack of care.

    The mother of four, however, said it was her husband who distanced himself from the family, especially the children.

    She alleged that there was a time her husband called their second child to come and see him and since then he was yet to be found.

    Her words: “My husband called our son, who was studying medicine at the university to come and see him and up till today, he could not be found.

    “It is seven years now that the boy, who is supposed to be 29-year-old this year, disappeared.

    “Efforts by me to find him proved unsuccessful. Your lordship, please help me ask my husband what he did to my son.

    “He does not care about the welfare of our children.

    “He does not even know where the children are schooling nor does he pay their school fees. I pay the fees.”

    The respondent said she satisfied her husband in all ways.

    She implored the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of their marriage “because I still love him.”

    Arokoyo had told the court that his wife, with whom he had four children, did not take care of him.

    “I live like a bachelor. I wash my clothes, cook for myself,” the man said.

    The 65-year-old petitioner said his wife was stubborn, adding that she assaulted him.

    “My wife is stubborn, she does not respect me. There was a day she slapped me. I beat her up and she fainted,” he said.

    The petitioner said Mojirayo goes out at will and comes back anytime she likes.

    “She can leave home and return after two weeks without letting me know her whereabouts,” he said.

    The husband said things were moving on fine for them until when he was no longer working.

    He said his wife suddenly became hostile.

    According to him, his wife had turned their children against him.

    He asked the court to dissolve the marriage, saying he no longer loved her.

    The Court President, Mr. Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case till September 26 for judgment.

  • Son’s birthday reunites Ubi Franklin, Lilian Esoro

    Son’s birthday reunites Ubi Franklin, Lilian Esoro

    The saying that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers holds true for most broken celebrity marriages and their kids. While the estranged lovers slug it out in bitter fights from courtrooms to social media platforms, it is the poor kids that bear the brunt of the emotional and mental scars of growing up without one or both parents.

    But Triple MG boss Ubi Franklin and his estranged wife Lilian Esoro are glowing exceptions to the rule. In spite of their marriage crashing like a poorly stacked deck of cards not too long ago, the celebrity ex-couple have put aside their differences for the sake of their son Jayden. All is well in the world of little baby Jayden as his parents have entered an unwritten pact to always be there for him and nurture him together with love and care.

    That much was apparent during baby Jayden’s dedication as mummy and daddy were there together, accompanied by friends and well-wishers. The couple and their baby boy were all smiles in sparkling white and blue as they dedicated their child to God at Revival Assembly, Lagos last Sunday.

    Just a few days before that, Lilian, actress and boss of Goldie Locks Hair Salon in Abuja, and Ubi had taken to the social media to share pictures and clips of a fancy house party organised for Jayden as he clocked one. Lilian and Ubi look determined to keep the peace for the sake of their child.

  • SON Act 2015 can enhance ease of doing business, say stakeholders

    SON Act 2015 can enhance ease of doing business, say stakeholders

    •Port operators suggest joint cargo inspection by SON, other agencies

    The Ease of Doing Business policy being promoted by the Federal Government will promote commerce, economic growth, export trade and ensure efficiency in trade facilitation.

    The policy will also receive significant boost from the provisions of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) ACT 2015, which include the removal of substandard products from the market place, and prosecution of offenders.

    This was the consensus of stakeholders at a consultative meeting in Lagos, titled: “SON ACT 2015 and Ease of Doing Business.”

    SON  Director-General Mr. Osita Aboloma explained that the SON Act 2015 was meant to ensure that compliant business persons were not disadvantaged by those into manufacturing, importation or exportation of sub-standard products.

    Aboloma, who was represented by SON Director of Legal Services Mr. Umaru Kawu said the provisions of the Act would also enhance enforcement of penalties against persons dealing in products not compliant with any mandatory industrial standard.

    “The punishment ranges from fine of not less than N1 million or 15 per cent of the value of the product, to a fine of not less than N2 million or 20 per cent of the value of the product,” he said.

    The SON boss explained that where every person concerned with manufacturing, importation, exportation, sale of products do so acting on the same requirements, cost of doing business would become predictable as discipline would be brought into the system.

    “It is the same discipline that the Ease of Doing Business initiative seeks to bring into our system and where cost variables are minimised, price divergence is eliminated,” he added.

    Abaloma said the Act, among other things, has a unique provision towards ensuring that level playing field is created for manufacturers, importers, traders and exporters.

    Debunking the impression that SON is all about enforcement, the SON boss stated that the agency’s preferred mode of conflict resolution is by negotiation, mediation and reconciliation.

    To this end, SON, he said, has established a full-fledged Alternative Dispute Resolution Desk within its Customs Feedback & Collaboration Unit, noting that this strategy was also a means of easing the cost of doing business.

    Abaloma stressed that this was where the link between the SON ACT 2015 and the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria was intertwined.

    One of the resource persons, Mr. Ubong Esof Akpan, a lawyer, said the government ease of doing business can only succeed when Nigerian business men decide to do the right thing.

    He encouraged importers to embrace the one stop portal for registration to ensure they do their businesses effortlessly without recourse to under the table dealings.

    The Trustee of Shippers’ Association, Lagos State, Mr. Odolo Nicodemus, advised SON and other relevant government agencies at ports to inspect cargoes to reduce time of doing business.

    He urged other relevant regulatory agencies to tow the line of SON to make it possible for all documentation to be done online and ensure that all operators take advantage of the single window platform to achieve the 48-hour cargo clearance target of the Federal Government.

    Nicodemus hailed SON for reminding port operators about the importance of transparency in cargo procedures, stressing that transparency would reduce the bottlenecks facing government regulatory bodies.

    Also, the National Publicity Secretary, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Kayode Farito, urged SON to look into its overlapping functions with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    He urged SON to put its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on its website to educate Nigerians on its procedures.

    He advised that SON should be a regulatory agency instead of generating revenue for Customs and also review the number of days involved in prosecuting an offender.

  • SON reopens Samsung office

    SON reopens Samsung office

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has reopened the facility of Samsung West Africa, which was shut down last week for product registration infractions.

    Head, SON Product Registration Unit Enebi Onucheyo, an engineer,  said the office was reopened after the firm’s compliance to requirements of the SON Act No. 14 of 2015.

    Enebi emphasised the role of SON as a business facilitator, noting that the agency would have no reason to attack the economic strength of any law-abiding investor.

    He stressed the need for products being marketed in Nigeria to be formally registered with SON for traceability and confirmation of quality status.

    The SON official admonished manufacturers, who are yet to register their products, to do so promptly.

    He said: “The process is electronic and it has been simplified such that it can be concluded within 24 hours of commencement.”

  • SON seals Samsung’s office

    SON seals Samsung’s office

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has sealed Samsung Lagos office for non-compliance with regulatory and standard procedures in product quality and standardisation.

    Its Director-General,  Osita Abuloma accused Samsung of refusing to register their products with the agency even after several letters and reminders to that effect but rather continued to import products into the country from their parent company in South Korea.

    He explained that it is illegal for any company or individual no matter how highly placed, to import products and goods  into the country without registering same with SON to ascertain the quality and performance standards before exposing the public to the product.

    He said the risk is that since the quality it’s not ascertained, it may expose the public to unimaginable risk.

    He said: “For any imported product to have access to the Nigerian market, it must be registered by SON and certified safe for the public. Part of our mandate is to ensure that consumers have satisfaction while ensuring that monies spent to purchase any product is well spent. The days of using the country as a dumping ground for all manner of products are gone and with enabling SON Act 2014 we are empowered to enter into any premise that is suspect to lock it up and prosecute offenders.”

  • SON, GIZ partner review energy policies

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and GIZ, are partnering to review policies on the reduction of energy cost in companies acrossthe country.

    The idea is to control energy usage in industries which is being wasted without the knowledge of the management of most of the organisations.

    SON’s Director-General, Osita  Aboloma, said energy requirement is a critical component of an organisation on prevention or reduction of waste within the sector.

    The SON chief, who was represented by the Diretor of Operations, Felix Nyado at a meeting in Abuja, said: “We are having a policy review and enforcement meeting on the Nigeria energy support programme, midwifed by GIZ and sponsored by the European Union (EU). This is to ensure energy efficiency within the system.

    “There is a standard in SON called ISO, 50001 which we have been trying to deploy to different organisations in the past three years for the reduction of energy cost in their system.

    “The prevention of waste within the sector using the energy efficiency system can reducewaste with 10 per cent.  It has also been proven that companies that deploy the energy management system into their process has been able to save 10 per cent cost of their energy use in a year.”

    He said the standard which is a management tool are deployed into the country to ensure that companies update and verify theior enrgy usage, lamenting that there is so much wasted energy. With tbis in place, the country energy system can be put in proper use, Aboloma added.

  • SON shuts seven firms for substandard steel

    SON shuts seven firms for substandard steel

    Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Director-General Osita Aboloma has said the agency has shut seven steel companies “in the last few months”.

    Aboloma noted that the use of substandard steel and other building materials had led to loss of many lives and property.

    He stated this at a seminar organised by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Ikorodu Unit for steel manufacturers and other stakeholders in building

    Aboloma, who was represented by Abdulrasak Oyewopo, SON’s Sectional Head (Mechanical Department), said the agency shut seven out of the 41 rolling mills registered with it for various reasons.

    He added: “In our efforts to ensure quality of products, all steel bars produced locally have identification marks that will enable SON to trace them to the manufacturer.

    “The incidence of building collapse has been a serious concern; governments and other stakeholders are making efforts to curb the menace,” he said.

    BCPG National President Mr. Kunle Awobodu blamed high quantity of metal scraps in construction steel for rampant building collapse.

    He spoke on the theme: “The Importance of Quality Flat Sheets and Steel Reinforcement Materials in Construction Industry’’.

    Awobodu noted that the quantity of iron ore ought to be more than that of metal scraps in construction steel to achieve quality.

    He said: “But the rising cost of production has turned metal scraps as the major component in steel production instead of ore (billets).

     

     

     

     

  • SON shuts seven firms over substandard steel

    SON shuts seven firms over substandard steel

    The Chief Executive Officer of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma, on Monday said the agency has shut seven steel companies “in the last few months.”

    Aboloma said the use of substandard steel and other building materials had led to loss of many lives and property.

    He stated these at a seminar organised by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Ikorodu Unit, for steel manufacturers and other stakeholders in building

    Aboloma, who was represented by SON’s Sectional Head, Mechanical Department, Abdulrasak Oyewopo said the agency shut seven out of the 41 rolling mills registered with it for various reasons.

    He said: “In our efforts to ensure quality of products, all steel bars produced locally have identification marks that will enable SON to trace them to the manufacturer.

    “The incidence of building collapse has been a serious concern. Governments and other stakeholders are making efforts to curb the menace.”

    BCPG National President, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, blamed high quantity of metal scraps for rampant building collapse.

    He spoke on the theme: “The Importance of Quality Flat Sheets and Steel Reinforcement Materials in Construction Industry.”

    Awobodu noted that the quantity of iron ore ought to be more than that of metal scraps in construction steel to achieve quality.

    He said: “But the rising cost of production has turned metal scraps as the major component in steel production instead of ore (billets).

    “It has to be 70 per cent ore and 30 per cent metal scraps, which is permitted in any steel production.

    “These days, there are many inferior steel producers, who use 100 per cent metal scraps, even when they know that certain scraps are not ideal for steel production.

    “Building collapse is worrisome; we have submitted some major reasons we know to the Lagos Statement Government for urgent action.”

    Awobodu also said there was the need to ensure that rolling mills had Fatigued Testing Machine to ensure quality steel.

    According to him, many laboratories in Nigeria only conduct one-sided test – mechanical test – leaving chemical test undone; hence, poor quality steel in circulation.

    “The reality is that the quality of steel is better controlled from the source, that is the rolling mill, rather than relying on laboratory test of few samples,” he said.

     

  • SON takes ‘Standard Club’ campaign to Osun

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria SON has extended its ‘Standard Club’ campaign with the inauguration of the club in primary and post primary schools in Osun State.

    The initiative, said the organiser, aims at entrenching in the minds of children the prospect of developing standards for commodities, projects and services for industries in Nigeria.

    Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,  praised SON for preaching the gospel of standardisation, quality assurance and kicking against sub-standard and counterfeiting of products nationwide.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the club in the state, Aregbesola praised the efforts of SON in standards elaboration and enforcement, noting that the agency has created appropriate and adequate public awareness on issues of standards and quality.

    Represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Wasiu Omotunde-Young, Aregbesola said he is happy that the agency, has exposed the average Nigerian to the benefits of adopting standards in everyday life.  According to him, the event marked another milestone in the history of the state. He said that such programmes could be a major turning point, especially as it related to career and awareness.

    He said quality assurance as it  was being pursued by SON was another initiative in spelling out excellence, justice and equity, and of course standards which ensures that whatever product bought is value for money spent.

    This, according to him, could only be achieved through  the use of weight and measurement. The governor assured that the establishment of SON’s metrology laboratory in Enugu would checks abuse and injustice in trade and commercial transactions.

    “Weight and measurements become important in order to ensure that there is justice in trade and commercial transactions.

    “As of today, because of lack of standard instruments for weights and measurement, almost all our transactions in local communities lack justice and equity. But we believe with SON’s metrology laboratory in Enugu coming on stream soon, we will be able to address this challenge.

    Earlier in his remarks, SON Director-General Mr Osita Aboloma admonished youths to identify with the campaign in view of the danger to lives and property, and the negative impression Nigerians suffer among other nations.

    Aboloma said the message SON is advocating is one that should be embraced by all regardless of age, class or religious leanings, given its ability to provide jobs, value for money, healthy competition  and increased capacity utilisation, among other benefits.

    Aboloma, who was also represented by Oluremi Ayeni, an engineer and a director in SON, is hopeful that the club would create an army that would push further the gospel of standardisation.  ‘’Propagating standards ideals and principles in schools will help to create awareness about zero tolerance to substandard products in no small way,”said Aboloma.

    Also speaking at the event, SON Director of Operations, Felix Nyado and Osun State Commissioner Ministry of Woman and Children Affairs, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa, stated that ‘catch them young’ strategy SON is using is ideal as principles ingrained on the minds of the young ones would stick for life.

    “When this is achieved, the foundation for the much needed socio-economic change required to secure the future of Nigeria would have been laid by SON,”Nyado noted.

    Giwa implored children to champion this course by preaching same gospel to their parents, friends and families.

    “Children must contribute their own quota as they are the bedrock of our future as a country, “she concluded.

    SON is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with statutory functions to ensure compliance with standards.

  • All set for Niyi Adebayo’s son’s wedding

    Come August, former Ekiti State governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, and his wife, Angela, will once again rock the social scene with the wedding of their one and only son, Dotun Adebayo. The Adebayos will host the first of the two-legged affair on Saturday, August 12 as the traditional wedding ceremony holds in Lagos. The second leg will be the white wedding where the bride and the groom will exchange marital vows. It will hold in far-away New York, USA.

    While the bride, Rennie, is little known at the moment, 30-year-old Dotun already heads a company of his own, Fortis Projects Services, as Executive Director. He handles the affairs of the thriving hybrid construction company with Loatsad Promomedia boss, Seyi Tinubu, who is widely expected to be his best man at the upcoming wedding.