The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Standards Organisation of Nigeria

  • SON seeks collaboration in building sector

    SON seeks collaboration in building sector

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has called for collaboration with professionals in the public and private sectors to ensure sustainable building and construction practices in the country.

    Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, made the call while introducing the forthcoming national conference on the building sector, scheduled for November 12th at the NAF Conference Center in Abuja.

    The conference which has: “Adherence to Standard Practices: Bedrock of Sustainable Development in the Building Sector,” as theme, aims to bring together key stakeholders to reposition the building sector for safety, growth, and sustainability.

    A statement signed by Director Public Relations Department, SON, Mrs Foluso Bolaji, explained that the theme was apt to support the nation’s economic growth

     Dr. Okeke emphasized the importance of active participation from professionals and stakeholders, as their expertise and insights are crucial in addressing the challenges and recurrent issues in the building sector.

    Read Also; Again, the Rivers war!

    Effective collaboration among stakeholders and operators in the building sector will encourage increased investment for economic growth. This aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on providing affordable, quality, and safe housing for all, stimulating economic growth, and creating job opportunities in the housing sector.

    He said listed the objectives to include, repositioning the building sector for safety, growth, sustainability and fostering effective collaboration among stakeholders and operators.

    Others are to encourage increased investment for economic growth to align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda on housing.

    By working together, professionals and stakeholders can contribute to the development of sustainable building and construction practices in Nigeria, ultimately benefiting the country’s economy and citizens he added.

  • SON to Nigerians: Don’t patronise illegal CNG centres

    SON to Nigerians: Don’t patronise illegal CNG centres

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has alerted members of the public to desist from patronising uncertified Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) centres in order to safeguard their lives and properties.

    Making this appeal on Saturday was the SON’s Director-General, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke.

    In a statement signed on behalf of the SON boss by Mrs. Foluso Bolaji, Director Public Relations Directorate, SON, he said the public warning became inevitable following the recent explosion at the NIPCO’s CNG Refueling Station in Benin City, Edo State.

    While commiserating with those affected by the incident, the SON said it would not tolerate any attempt to circumvent the laid-out standards, guidelines, and procedures for the CNG conversion initiative.

    According to him, the organisation is working tirelessly with the relevant stakeholders to ensure the federal government actualises the CNG conversion initiative.

    Read Also; NIS addresses visa-on-arrival application process

    “We will not allow unscrupulous individuals to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to promote access to quality energy for the automobile sector,” Okeke stated.

    The CNG initiative aims to boost economic development through easy movement of people, goods, and services.

    SON has rolled out 88 standards to attract investors and ensure quality service delivery. Preliminary investigations into the explosion revealed that the cylinder used did not comply with approved CNG standards.

    The organisation, the SON boss stressed, has robust and effective regulatory measures in place to ensure that all CNG equipment and conversion kits conform to approved standards before being certified for public use.

    “SON is collaborating with the Presidential Initiatives on CNG and other relevant government bodies to finalise the Nigerian Gas Vehicle Monitoring System (NGVMS). This platform will provide centralised monitoring and surveillance of CNG systems. NGVMS will ensure that only vehicles equipped with certified conversion kits can access gas at retail outlets. It will also offer a database of approved CNG equipment and suppliers.”

  • SON urges investors to produce LPG cylinders locally

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has charged local and foreign investors to invest in LPG cylinder plants in the country.

    The agency said this is coming on the heels of the recent commissioning of Techno Oil Limited’s LPG manufacturing plant by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who stated that the present administration is planning to achieve over 5million metric of domestic, commercial and industrial LPG utilisation in 10 years.

    Representing the Director General, SON, , the Director, Compliance, SON, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said SON is in the business to ensure that goods and services produced in the country meet global best standards, while also calling for both local and foreign investments into the sector to bring down importation of LPG cylinders to the barest minimum.

    He added that investment in setting up LPG manufacturing plants will not only reduce dependence on imports, saying that it will also create job opportunities for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.

    He noted that efforts of SON’s enforcement and certification programmes have seen an increase in the usage of LPG gas cylinders, stressing that consumers are now sure of the quality of LPG cylinders in the nation.

    He said SON was with Techno from the beginning of the project till the commissioning, adding that this was to ensure SON improve lives through quality assurance.

    The SON boss disclosed that efforts have been intensified to subject LPG Cylinders to laboratory tests and analysis to confirm their conformity, stressing that if these cylinders fail critical safety parameters on construction, performance and markings they will be seized and destroyed.

    He commended Techno Oil Limited for the launch of the LPG plant, stating that the plant can measure up with other LPG plants in the world

    Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Techno Oil Limited, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, appreciated the commitment and support of the standards body from the beginning of its ultramodern LPG cylinder plant commissioned recently by the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo in Epe, Lagos.

    “We cannot thank SON enough. We pledge our resolve to continue to work with SON for the good of the industry,” she said.

    “We are also thankful to the Lagos State government for being a worthy host by providing the much appreciated conducive environment for our business,” she said.

  • Firm’s MD remanded for ‘dealing in substandard engine oil’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Friday ordered to be remanded in prison Managing Director of Richbon Nigeria Ltd, Cajethan Muonagolu, following his arraignment by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) through the Federal Ministry of Justice.

    He was arraigned on a four-count charge of dealing in adulterated and substandard engine oil.

    Justice Saliu Saidu granted him bail for N50million with two sureties in like sum.

    One of the sureties, the judge said, must be a civil/public servant not less than Grade Level 15 in the employment of the Federal or Lagos State Government.

    The other surety must be the defendant’s relation who owns a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    The court ordered the sureties to deposit their passport photographs, while Muonagolu must deposit his international passport with the court registrar.

    The prosecution and the court registrar are to verify the sureties’ addresses, the judge said.

    Justice Saidu ordered that Muonagolu should be remanded in prison until he meets his bail terms.

    Arguing the bail application, defence counsel Goke Olagunlehin, holding the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.

    But SON prosecuting counsel, including Messrs Babatunde Alajogun and Adeleke Olofindare, opposed the bail application on the ground that Muonagolu allegedly committed another offence while the charge was pending.

    Alajogun said the defendant broke and removed SON’s official seal and evacuated 15, 000 cartons of suspected adulterated/substandard engine oil from his company.

    Read Also: Court threatens to order Senator Uzodinma’s arrest

    The prosecution said he also allegedly assaulted SON officials in the course of their lawful duties.

    The court ordered the counsel for the prosecution and defence to visit the warehouse to ascertain the breaking of the seal or otherwise.

    Muonagolu and his company allegedly committed the offence last December 12 at ASPAMDA Trade Fair Complex, Lagos Badagry Expressway.

    SON said they conspired to deal in 15,000 cartons of Prime Plasma, Prime ATF and Stanley brand of engine oil which it said are substandard.

    The prosecution said the defendants claimed that the products were genuine, contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004.

    They also allegedly failed to comply with SON Conformity Assessment Programe (MANCAP) by dealing in engine oil that did not have the requisite MANCAP certification.

    Their arraignment is coming less than a month after SON arraigned four men before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo of the same court.

    Uche Johnson, Olaide Shittu, Kingsley Meteke and Abdulquadri Olayinka were said to have adulterated 128 drums and 9.45 litres of engine oil.

    They allegedly claimed that the products with genuine engine oil and sold them to unsuspecting motorists. Their trial is ongoing.

    SON undertook a nationwide raid on suspected adulterated and substandard lubricants in response to consumer complaints about engine failures caused by substandard oil.

    The Organisation is also prosecuting other standards infractions relating to adulterated and substandard lubricants across the country.

    Justice Saidu adjourned until May 20 for trial.

  • 60 SON workers get training

    No  fewer than 60 workers of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are receiving training on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Enugu.

    SON Director-General Mr. Osita Aboloma, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Mallam Usman Abdullahi, said the workers were being trained on efficient service delivery.

    He noted that the training would make them live above rudimentary mistakes intheir duties.

    Aboloma said: “The essence of this training is to improve the capacity of staff to deliver quality services and improve their relationship skills as they discharge their daily duty.

    “The training aimed at exploring other avenues to solve issues that concern enforcement of standards without necessarily going to the formal law courts.

    “The SON Act as amended had given SON the mandate to prosecute those that go against its mandate.

    “However, we feel that there should be other avenues apart from the courts that SON can easily achieve its mandate.

    “So, on this premise, SON is partnering with the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) to train some of its staff on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).’’

    According to him, the training would be beneficial to the agency’s enforcement and office workers.

    Also, a facilitator of the training, Ambassador Victor Ojaide, noted that the workers would get with ADR skills.

    Ojaide, who is also the Vice President (Training) of ICMC, said the training would enable workers understand how to settle issues harmoniously.

    “The ADR lessons will equip them on how to deal with issues and win trust and public confidence even as they discharge their duties.

    “The training will teach better ways of approaching issues and people even as they carry out their official mandates,’’ he said.

     

  • Senate backs SON on local goods campaign

    The Senate Committee on Industry has pledged to support the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON’s) campaign for the patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sam Egwu, said SON is vital to achieving the present administration’s Executive Order 003 aimed at providing support for local content in public procurement by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as increasing the demand for locally made goods and services in the country.

    Egwu at an oversight function on SON’s laboratory complex in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday said promoting made-in-Nigeria goods could only be achieved through SON’s quality assurance programmes and activities across the nation.

    REad also: Ndume steps up campaign for Senate President

    “We have visited other laboratories outside this country and compared to what we have seen outside the country, I will say SON has come to stay. A lot of mileage has been achieved since our last visit in 2018. Within a period of seven months, it is good to see that staff have moved into the laboratory and almost all the laboratories are in operation which is a good development.  This feat could not have been achieved without the Director-General, the management and staff of SON. We just wish you maintain the standards.

     

  • 60 SON workers get training

    No  fewer than 60 workers of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are receiving training on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Enugu.

    SON Director-General Mr. Osita Aboloma, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Mallam Usman Abdullahi, said the workers were being trained on efficient service delivery.

    He noted that the training would make them live above rudimentary mistakes in their duties.

    Aboloma said: “The essence of this training is to improve the capacity of staff to deliver quality services and improve their relationship skills as they discharge their daily duty.

    “The training aimed at exploring other avenues to solve issues that concern enforcement of standards without necessarily going to the formal law courts.

    “The SON Act as amended had given SON the mandate to prosecute those that go against its mandate.

    “However, we feel that there should be other avenues apart from the courts that SON can easily achieve its mandate.

    Read also: NUFBTE warns firm against engaging expatriates

    “So, on this premise, SON is partnering with the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) to train some of its staff on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).’’

    According to him, the training would be beneficial to the agency’s enforcement and office workers.

    Also, a facilitator of the training, Ambassador Victor Ojaide, noted that the workers would get with ADR skills.

    Ojaide, who is also the Vice President (Training) of ICMC, said the training would enable workers understand how to settle issues harmoniously.

    “The ADR lessons will equip them on how to deal with issues and win trust and public confidence even as they discharge their duties.

    “The training will teach better ways of approaching issues and people even as they carry out their official mandates,’’ he said.

     

  • SON bags four global certification

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has received four international management systems standards from the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) of India.

    According to the Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, in a statement, the four standards include: ISO Quality Management System, Environmental Management System, Occupational Health and Safety Management System and Food Safety Management System.

    The DG added that with the accreditation, SON Management System Certification (MSC) is determined to ensure continual improvement in service delivery given the global recognition that the accreditation confers.

    Aboloma stated that NABCB was approached in 2017 for accreditation, maintaining that the agency’s steadfastness to ensuring safety of lives through standards made it possible for SON to receive the certification a year later, a feat he described as a great milestone achieved in record time.

    In his words, “Our positions on the NABCB register for the various schemes are as follows: QMS: SON is 38th, EMS: SON is 10th, FSMS: SON is 15th and OHSMS: SON is 7th.

    He however stated that accreditation is vital for businesses’ quest to achieve growth and profitability in Nigeria, adding that accreditation also helps businesses compete at the global level.

    The SON helmsman said choosing an accredited certification body gives confidence that services offered meet clients’ requirements, stressing that the use of accredited conformity assessment services is increasingly a stipulation of customers in both the public and private sectors.

    According to him, accreditation keeps activities under control with the help of knowledge transfer since accredited certification bodies can be a good source of impartial advice, stressing that it can also offer market differentiation and leadership by showing to others credible evidence of good practice.

    He noted that in order to ensure the provision of quality services, the Management Systems Certification Directorate (MSC) aligned its activities with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 2015 (Conformity assessment: Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems) standard.

    He added that SON MSC is committed to providing quality certification services by complying with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 2015, understanding and exceeding the needs and expectations of its clients, using validated procedures and equipment and remaining competitive while satisfying its clients

  • SON gets award

    Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has won an award by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International.

    In a statement, the agency’s Head, Public Relations, Mr. Bola Fashina, said SON’s Director-General, OsitaAboloma received the award from ASTM Director, Business Development, Europe, Alistair Klein, in Lagos.

    Klein stated that the award was in recognition of  the Society’s 15 years’  partnership with SON in the development and use of global standards for health, safety and the environment, among other benefits.

    According to him, the ASTM team was in Nigeria to participate in the West African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (WAIPEC) and used the opportunity to connect with its local partners, including SON.

    He stated that the partnership with SON is aimed at furthering its support for Nigeria’s growth, and to aid the development of  standards.

    Responding, Aboloma expressed delight at the award, stressing that the partnership with the organisation had been of benefit to not only the SON, but also the nation. He assured the ASTM team of SON’s participation in WAIPEC to interact with stakeholders in the petroleum sector in  standards and quality assurance procedures.

  • Stop wasting resources on substandard imports, SON urges importers

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged importers of substandard goods to desist from wasting huge sums of money on importation of goods that have no consumer utility.

    SON also said that such fake goods would end up being destroyed if intercepted, pointing out that the agency would stop at nothing to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

    Director-General, SON, Osita Aboloma, represented by the Director, Compliance, SON, Mr Obiora Mmanfa, gave the charge at a destruction site in Lagos on Sunday.

    “Please stop wasting your money importing substandard goods, we cannot afford to compromise on quality because the lives and property of Nigerians are paramount and our primary responsibility is to protect Nigerians from these goods that are injurious to families and the nation at large.

    “We are here to destroy some substandard products we intercepted at the ports, borders and highway, we tested them and found out that they failed the basic parameters for standard products and some of the products have expired.

    ” We do not want these products to find their way into the markets, because they are harmful to human lives,” aboloma said.

    He listed the products that were conveyed to the dumpsite as electric cable, cylinders, expired cigarette packaging materials, tyres, electric bulbs, motorcycle tubes, extension sockets and unfortified sugar.

    According to him, about N22.7 billion worth of substandard goods have been destroyed so far this year, stating that the agency will intensify efforts to tighten the noose where most of the substandard goods find their way into the shores of the country.

    “We have been destroying over time and for this year alone we have about  N22.7 billion worth of products where some have been destroyed while some are awaiting destruction.

    “We have thousands of electric cables, stuffed tyres and cylinders in our warehouse waiting for further investigation and analysis,” he said.

    He said that SON could not be happy destroying the goods because the action brought nothing but drain on the national economy and hard-earned foreign exchange, maintaining that SON remained a business facilitator established to help genuine businesses to grow.

    “Our message to the importers is that we are not happy destroying these goods because it is a drain to the national economy and our hard-earned foreign exchange.

    ” Importers pay foreign exchange to import these products and when they bring them in, we seize and destroy them. This is not good for anybody.

    “ We are appealing to them to do the right thing. Comply with our standards because we will not allow people who cut corners to cheat unsuspecting consumers in the country.

    “We have our standards in all our state offices across the country, feel free to come in anytime to obtain these standards before importing goods into the country.

    “We have many items to be destroyed here and more are coming. Once we conclude the investigation going through these products in our laboratory to check for conformity and they fail, we will bring them down here and destroy.

    “This is a continuous process and we will not stop till we achieve our mandate of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians,”  he said. (NAN)