The Nation Newspaper

Tag: standards

  • Lagos restates commitment to mining standards

    •Warns illegal sand miners

    The Lagos State Government has restated commitment to ensuring that miners comply with internationally acceptable standards in the sand mining industry in the state.

    The Director, Human Resources and Administration, Mr. Fashola Adeyemi Taofik, said this during an on-the-spot- assessment of some sand mining sites in the Ajah/Lekki axis of the state.

    He said the Ministry is poised to ensure that miners operate according to  regulations to ensure sustainable development in the state.

    In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Olaoye Olusegun, Taofik noted that to obtain the mining standard, the Ministry has to continually monitor the activities of sand miners and ensure that rules are followed strictly.

    He said: “In furtherance of the Ministry’s mandate to ensuring a sustainable mining operation, constant monitoring and  clinical review of mining methods and its impacts, taking stock of degraded area as well as putting in place a restoration plan is being done by the Ministry.

    “The objectives of the mining site monitoring and evaluation was also to locate and delineate the extent of land degradation at mining sites, initiate and develop land use programme for the identified area, for example, fish farming, agricultural cultivation, coconut plantation, and landscaping. It is also meant to identify the derivable impact of the exercise on affected communities as well as develop mining methods and proper documentation that will ensure sustainable development.”

  • Practitioners advised on manufacturing standards

    Practitioners advised on manufacturing standards

    • NAFDAC lists criteria for herbal drugs production

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) to reconstruct its herbal hall to meet manufacturing practice standards.

    Its Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii, said it was a prerequisite for the association to be allowed  to produce  herbal drugs at the site.

    Orhii, who was represented by the principal regulatory officer, Mr Joseph Okereke, at a special inspection of the facility, built in 1982 by NANTMP pioneer chairman, Lagos State branch, the late Dr Joseph Lambo, said the factory must have a structural flow – from changing room to production room and packaging room.

    The association, he said, can only produce powdery and solid herbal drugs at the facility as it is not equiped for liquid drugs or syrups.

    “There is also space constraint and lack of hi-tech equipment.  NANTMP may find it difficult to meet those conditions at the moment,” he said.

    Besides, there is the need for water purification plant and stainless machine for mixing compounds to avoid residue, Orhii said .

    The agency, he assured, will collaborate with the association to develop the sector but, “our job is to ensure that the centre conforms to the standards for having a manufacturing plant”.

    NANTMP Chairman Dr Yekini Akande said the quest to have a common production site for herbal drugs could not be over-emphasised.

    Akande said production of herbal drugs at the facility would help poor members to produce their drugs at a cheaper rate.

    The herbal hall, Akande said, has been unused since the demise of its founder, adding that people with no affiliation to the association have been using it for other purposes.

    He said the facility was being rehabilitated to meet NAFDAC standards for production sites, stressing that it would be ready for use.

    “NAFDAC’s visit is an eye opener to help us focus on the areas to touch to make our dream of having a common production site a reality,” Akande said.

    Akande urged the Federal Government to hasten the passage of traditional medicine bill so that the practice can progress to the desire height.

    “We are appealing to the government to come to our aid so that we can develop traditional medicine to the level of China and India,” Akande said.

  • Govt urged to improve food safety standards

    A call has been made to the government to work with operators in the livestock meat processing sector to improve food safety standards.

    Deputy Director, Directorate of General Management, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), Dr. Ademola Adeyemo, said there was need for private enterprises in the meat sub-sector to to improve food safety.

    He urged the government to strengthen regulations to ensure the private sector changes its working practices to ensure food safety and that the meat industry take more responsibility to  ensure  public  safety.

    According to him, operators were focusing on profit, adding that it is time food safety takes a more prominent place.

    He  said there should be    programme to make food business and their employees  aware that the products  meant for consumers’ plates should  be  free  from  elements  which  nurture  the  spread of diseases and ensure safety of the products.

    He said quality   assurance schemes should help not only to raise awareness of safety, they hygiene but also food fraud.

    Adeyemo called for incentives for businesses to encourage cooperation on food safety and for the industry to correct a business that takes irresponsible risks.

    He urged health authorities to pay more attention to tackling food fraud, urging the  strengthening   of meat and livestock inspection and supervision.

  • Agency directs Discos to comply with standards

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Peter Ewezor, has directed Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) and Construction Companies to comply with Sector Specific Minimum Standards and Global Best Practices on Safety to avoid being sanctioned  by the body.

    Speaking while on an inspection of project sites of  the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company(ABUJA DISCO) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Ewezor said there are pronounced cases of impunity and technical gaps in the power and construction projects in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria .

    He said NEMSA is carrying out nationwide enforcement /advocacy visitations to sites where there are faults in power lines, railway/ roads and building constructions.

    Ewezor, who identified some areas in the FCT with some constructions defects, said the companies would be sanctioned, unless they rectify the defects.

    He said with the coming into effect of the NEMSA ACT, 2015,  the era of impunity is over, and that it would no longer be business as usual.

    The honey moon is over, Nigerians and Stakeholders in Construction & Electricity sector must imbibe the culture of change in all facets of life and do the needful to avoid sanctions, he said.

    He listed the defaulting companies in the FCT to include Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, which has many of its feeder pillars dangerously exposed, as well as  its high tension cables too low that it could be touched.

    He also listed the CCECC which built its railway line in Kubwa, near the 33KV power tension.

    The NEMSA chief said letters had been written to these companies about the dangers these projects posed to human lives, adding that they would still be reminded to rectify these projects.

    He streesed the need for  the affected companies to comply and rectify the defects projects, failure NEMSA would visit them with the full weight of the law.

    Ewezor called on the companies concerned to provide what he called, cradle guards, or armod cables to protect the exposed high tension cables .

    He enjoined the Electricity Distribution Companies and Construction Companies operating in Nigeria to institutionalise the ideals of Projects Monitoring & Evaluation its Governance structure in order to ensure effective monitoring of Projects.

    The unscheduled NEMSA site visitation had in attendance, the full compliments of the Media (Electronics & Prints), senior officials/Management Team of NEMSA and Consumer Rights Advocate, Kunle Kola Olubiyo (President, Nigeria Consumer Protection Network), among others.

  • Artisans, others educated on standards

    In furtherance of its drive to ensure quality in the built environment, Lafarge Africa, manufacturers of Elephant Cement and Elephant Supaset, at the weekend organised a training session / seminar for blockmoulders under the aegis of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON), in Sango Ota, Ogun State. The theme of the seminar was “Standard Quality Blocks in Construction.”The seminar was meant to enlighten artisans on best practices in the use of cement for block moulding. It was also aimed at appraising quality procedure for production of concrete blocks; identifying functional requirements for block moulding and to discuss the importance of quality control as it relates to the production of sandcrete blocks.

    The Relationship Manager, Block making and Precast section, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Soji Okesina, said after a thorough research by his firm, it was discovered that there was a need for a special purpose product for block moulding, hence the launch of ‘Elephant SUPASET’ in December 2010, to meet the specific needs of block moulders.

    Besides, Okesina said that the training, which will be spread round the country, became necessary because the block moulders represented the most important stakeholder in the building industry, accounting for about 40 per cent of its product usage.

    The training also emphasised the need for strict adherence to standard as prescribed by the standards organisation of Nigeria (SON), and also on the benefits of a good sandcrete block which are durability, safety, and sustainability, amongst others.

    The national president of NABMON, Alhaji Rasheed Adebowale, who disclosed that his members account for 66 per cent consumption of cement daily usage. He praised the company for the seminar  because “it will go a long way in creating awareness especially for new members.”

    In a  similar vein, the Ogun State chairman of the association, High Chief Olusanya, commended the effort of Lafarge for the training,saying the seminar will change their attitude towards block moulding. According to him, the Elephant Supaset is the best product for them. He advised the company to sustain the seminar because it has impacted so much on them and their businesses.

  • African Standards bodies’ forum for June 22

    African Standards bodies’ forum for June 22

    Ahead of the President’s forum of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), leaders of African Standards bodies have concluded plans to explore issues and frameworks to drive economic integration in the continent.

    Billed for June 22 in Abuja, the forum is expected to address issues bordering Africa’s standards development, especially in terms of harmonisation of standards, building of vital institutions and facilities needed to fast-track regional and continental trade.

    The forum which features the largest turn out of African standards managers will also serve as occasion for the induction of African states that currently have yet to join the global quality movement.

    Of the 54-member countries of the African Union (AU), 35 belong to ARSO while the AU Council of Ministers of Trade has expressed commitments to work towards ensuring that all African countries get on board by 2017.

    The AUC had set a target of an African Free Trade zone by 2017 and also declared the date as the African Year of Standards to jumpstart intra-Africa trade that is currently around five per cent and symbol of the heavy dependence of Africa on the rest of the world.

    According to ARSO President, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, the prime objective of the forum is to remove the restrictions to trade between African countries placed by the differences in the standards governing trade in the different countries.

    He said: “Every organism prospers by utilising the material which every part supplies. But hardly does Africa draw strength from the trade the different countries in the continent engage in because, separated by standards, the countries hardly trade among themselves.

    “Now, ARSO President’s Forum Abuja 2015 is bringing 55 heads of national standards bodies (NSB) in Africa together to open the gates of harmonisation of standards and let goods and services flow smoothly across the continent.

    “Sitting at a roundtable with 55 NSB CEOs is a rare opportunity for entrepreneurs to expand their business to other African countries. By participating in the ARSO president’s forum, companies are automatically at the gates of 55 African countries and are a step to the 1.1 billion consumers in the continent. Imagine when they now establish relationships with the NSB CEOs,” he said.

    Odumodu explained that what ARSO is doing now is to create a forum for everybody to be part of the association in preparation and for realisation of the 2017 CFTA agreement.  “One of the things I must say or two things we must take out of what we will be doing by June 22-25 in Abuja is to aid membership growth of ARSO. If you look at Africa, Africa remains the major dumping ground for sub-standard products and the reason is obvious.

    “Technology is not advanced and the people are fairly ignorant, there is a high level of poverty and of course, we have a very fairly weak regulatory framework and we make products to enter and leave even when we know they do not meet the criteria,” he stated.

    According to him, “there is need to under the auspices of ARSO support other countries to build capacity to be able to understand and appreciate what sub-standard products do and how they harm us but even more importantly, to ensure that under the African forum and using ourselves as a pressure group to AU, begin to challenge dumping on African soil”

  • Accountants urged to uphold high standards

    The President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)), Mr. Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu, has  called on accountants to exhibit high standards of professionalism to ensure that its image is not dragged into public ridicule.

    He said as professionals they should continue to uphold the core values of integrity and accountability and also demonstrate best practice in corporate governance.

    Speaking at the  54th induction  of  new members  in Lagos, Ajaegbu  said  good governance and accountability had become crucial and the pivot of all enterprises and  members  need  to  hold this  to  protect the  image of the  profession.

    He said the role of the accountants is to interpret financial issues to help individuals to understand what pertained in the public and private sectors to enable them make informed judgment in any situation.

    He  said it was always perceived that the accountant’s duty is synonymous with corruption adding that  members   need to get involved in the fight against this social cankerworm to ensure that its incidence is mitigated.

    He said the institute  is embarking on rigorous reforms to ensure that members are equipped with the needed skills to carry out their duties effectively.

    According  to him,  development in the profession is ever assuming diverse trends and the institute  must keep capacities updated.

    He stated the profession could no longer be premised on the old system of accounting, adding that  new areas had surfaced and to remain in the field, practitioners should adapt to the changing system.

    He  called on members of the body to ensure transparency in financial reporting.

    He said ICAN has a critical role to play in building and sustaining corporate governance culture as well as sound financial reporting in institutions in the country.

     

     

  • Measuring standards in universities

    SIR: Naturally, most university administrators want to be called “the best”. The Yoruba say even when a mouth is stench-ridden, the owner licks it. Without humility and openness of mind, human beings cannot acknowledge and accept their limitations and corrections.  In many instances, dictators don’t want to be corrected, and they don’t look kindly on complainants. Consequently, they can hardly be among the best, since only God is omniscient and infallible. The Catholic Church has redefined her doctrine of papal infallibility; but it remains difficult to accept the concept of human infallibility. Dictators can, of course, use propaganda and clever means to paint themselves as the best. They become a good looking apple that is rotten within. Many Nigerian universities are beautifully decorated, even when facilities may be scanty.

    What are the indices of a standard university? Above all, there must be facilities and facilitators, including being well-staffed with both academic and non-academic personnel, offices, and of course, adequate classrooms. When there are shortages in those respects, there are bound to be crises. How many university administrators pay attention to that fact? We see situations in which student populations are growing and new departments are established without corresponding number and sizes of classrooms. There are crises also when a worker cannot go on leave, because s/he is the only person employed to do the job. S/he must, therefore, never fall sick or have any emergency. There are crises when adequate transportation arrangement is lacking for students and staff of universities that are distant from town.

    Some years ago, someone came back from Malaysia and said “Wow! Over there, you could lie on your bed and use your gadget to read all the books in the library. And if you order any book, it comes within two or three days.” Are Nigerian university administrators concerned with facilities and facilitators, or they are busy with expansionism with which facilities and facilitators don’t catch-up? I heard someone saying somewhere that with expansionism, you get to engage contractors!  What are the priorities of the Nigerian university administrators, if facilities (including transportation of staff and students, classrooms and computer software for result computation) and facilitators (including non-academic staff) are secondary in their scale of priority?

     

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, PhD,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Banks, switches get deadline for data security standards

    Banks, switches get deadline for data security standards

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has extended banks, switches and processors’ compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) standard till November 30.

    The PCI DSS is a proprietary information security standard for organisations that handle cardholder information for the major debit, credit, prepaid, e-purse, Automated Teller Machines, and Point of Sale (PoS) cards.  The standard was created to increase controls around cardholder data to reduce credit card fraud via its exposure.

    A circular to banks, switches and processors, signed by CBN Director, Banking Payment System, ‘Dipo Fatokun, said the need to extend the deadline followed requests by many banks seeking more time to enable them to complete the certification process.

    He said to determine the readiness of various operators, the CBN engaged the services of three Qualified Security Assessors to conduct pre-certification assessment of the banks.

    The result, he said, showed that while many banks had complied with the certification, many are still at different stages of compliance.

    He said with this extension, banks, processors and switches are expected to comply before the end of the deadline.

    The validation of PCI DSS compliance is performed yearly, either by an external Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) that creates a Report on Compliance (ROC) for organisations handling large volumes of transactions, or by Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for companies handling smaller volumes.

    The CBN had earlier released card issuance and use guidelines for the financial services sector. Fatokun said power to issue the guideline was derived from Section 47 (3) of the CBN Act 2007. He said industry stakeholders who process, transmit, and or store cardholder information should ensure that that their terminals, applications and processing infrastructure comply with the minimum requirements for the sector.

    The CBN director said that all terminals, applications and processing infrastructure, should also comply with the standards specified by the various card schemes.

    Fatokun said only banks licenced by the CBN with clearing capacity shall issue payment cards to consumers and corporations in the country. He said banks without clearing capacity can issue in conjunction with those with clearing capacity.

    Also, all banks should seek approval from the CBN for each card brand they wish to issue.

  • How reporting standards can enhance banks’ profitability

    How reporting standards can enhance banks’ profitability

    Banks which adhere to transparent and efficient reporting standards and improve risk management structure, will be rewarded with higher returns on investment. COLLINS NWEZE writes on steps taken by banks to achieve enhanced and sustainable reporting standards amid declining earnings.

    In recent times, banks’ profits have come under intense pressure due, mainly, to tight regulatory policies. But there is reprieve around the corner. The solution, many analysts said, lies in their ability to adopt improved reporting standards.

    The practice, the proponents said, remains a condition for them to achieve higher profitability, and ensure responsible as well as sustainable business practices.

    Such acts are expected to enhance banks’ overall risk management, reduce cost of operations, create more avenues for fresh capital inflows and ability to attract and retain talents.

    Although the lenders are facing tougher regulatory environment based on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) commitment to corporate governance and accountability, the easiest way to meet regulatory expectations remains, largely, adopting and implementing sound reporting standards. Some of the lenders’ second quarter results showed that the regulatory headwind is impacting negatively on their profitability.

    For instance, the half-year ended June 30 result of Skye Bank indicated that its Profit Before Tax (PBT) dropped to N7.266 billion as against N10.545 billion during the corresponding period in 2013.

    Profit After Tax (PAT) also decreased to N5.786 billion as against N8.428 billion the previous year.

    For Fidelity Bank Plc, the PBT dropped by 16 per cent from N11.2 billion to N9.43 billion. Total customer deposits also declined by five per cent to N766 billion.

    GTBank recorded a 6.92 per cent drop in PBT to N53.40 billion, compared with N57.36 billion last year June, while PAT stood at N44.01 billion, lower than N49.01 billion in June 2013.

    Although UBA Plc got 8.7 per cent increase in gross earnings from N127.25 billion in 2013 to N138.32 billion this year, its profit before tax dropped by 13.1 per cent to N28.89 billion, compared with N33.25 billion in 2013.

    FirstBank of Nigeria’s result showed that PBT dropped by 12 per cent to N48.25 billion against N54.81 billion recorded in same period of last year. Likewise, PAT declined by 19.4 per cent to N37.18 billion from N46.1 billion in 2013.

    Speaking at the G4 Sustainability Reporting Guideline Training Workshop recently held in Lagos, Access Bank Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe said for a business to be truly sustainable, it must maintain not only the necessary environmental resources, but also its social resources, including employees, customers (the community), sound reporting standards and its reputation.

    He said Access Bank has been collaborating with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Focal Point South Africa, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, (SIDA) and Thistle Praxis on sustainability capacity building workshop in the country.

    He said the workshop was designed to provide participants with requisite knowledge of sustainability reporting, help them manage the reporting process and benefit from the transparency of adopting such standards.

    “Additionally, the programme provides a strategic opportunity for advancing the shared mission of mainstreaming sustainability reporting into business practices Nigeria and Africa as well as enhancing the presence of the Global Reporting Initiative in Nigeria at the national and regional levels,” he said.

    Wigwe who was represented by the bank’s Chief Risk Officer, Gregory Jobome, said sustainability and responsible business practices are important to the bank and consistent with its vision, in championing and supporting such initiatives across Africa.

    Access Bank had in the past, organised several workshops and conferences, notable amongst which are the Nigerian Sustainability Banking Principles (NSBP) Steering Committee Meeting in partnership with IFC and Access Conference 2013 where global leaders deliberated on the theme “Embracing Sustainable Leadership.

    “These corporate actions are a testimony to the bank’s sustained efforts at nation building and support for the Nigerian financial services sector in achieving a seamless integration of sustainable business practices into the core of its business operations,” Wigwe said.

    Head, GRI Focal Point South Africa, Douglas Kativu, encouraged Nigeria banks and government agencies to improve on the standard, in the practice of sustainability reporting, given the size and relevance of the country to global economy.

    These have prompted campaigns that the global community should consistently review business decisions and their environmental impact to make the earth truly sustainable in the long term.

    Chief Executive Officer, Thistle Praxis Consulting, Ms. Ini Onuk, said the workshop was able to improve participants’ capacity to present sustainability reports in a manner that demonstrates linkages between strategies and commitment to sustainable global economy.

    This, she said, would help organisations measure, understand and communicate their economic, environmental, social and governance performance accurately, the world will become more accountable.

     

    Stakeholders’ roles

    The GRI Focal Point South Africa, works to promote the importance of transparency for markets and better knowledge of sustainability reporting (SR) in key target markets on the African continent, as well as in the SADC region.

    It is also committed to building and strengthening sustainability performance and reporting capacity as well as shaping the reporting environment by influencing public policy and market initiatives.

    Also, the SIDA is a government organisation under the Swedish Foreign Ministry that administers almost half of Sweden’s budget for development aid while the ThistlePraxis Consulting is a Strategy and Assessment Management Consulting firm that assists organisations of all sizes and in all sectors through the delivery of innovative solutions from effective strategies.

     

    IFC partnership

    Access Bank Plc, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other signatories of the NSBP last year advocated a holistic implementation of the policy in order to contribute to the development of the economy.

    The stakeholders noted the need to encourage knowledge and experience sharing among industry players and other international organisations if the objective of the NSBP would be achieved.

    According to the Chairman of the committee, Jobome “the conference was convened to foster a holistic implementation of the NSBP by encouraging knowledge and experience sharing amongst industry players and other international organisations like the IFC and Sustainable Finance Limited.”

    He explained that the bank’s objective as the Chair of the NSBP Steering Committee, and Co-host of the event was to encourage practices that would aid the actualisation of the objective of the committee in ensuring the successful implementation of the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles across Nigeria’s financial institutions.

    Jobome added that the NSBP was developed by and for the banking sector in Nigeria to signal the industry’s commitment to economic growth that is environmentally responsible and socially relevant, noting that the bank has successfully embedded sustainability into the core of its operations by initiating capacity development of its employees. This, he said would ensure that all staff understand what sustainability means.

     

    Regulatory backing

    The CBN and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) have provided regulatory support and framework for the sustainable banking practice in the country.

    The CBN and NDIC want banks to shift focus from profitability alone and consider also other issues around sustainability, before lending.

    The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its UNEP Financial Initiative on the Environment and Sustainable Development at the Earth Summit in 1992, placed it as pertinent concern for financial systems across the world.

    It said sustainable banking in Nigeria, therefore, is focused on energising the influence of the banking sector (being financier of economic and social activities) towards transforming the longer term interest of environmental preservation and societal balancing into key parameters for allocation of capital.

     

    Oil sector funding

    The CBN said if the oil companies that degrade the environment and their cohorts in other sectors are starved of funds from both local and international banks, they will have no choice than to comply.

    It called for an urgent need for a policy ensuring that people who do not carry on their businesses in environmentally unfriendly manner and get away with it. It  said the agenda would be presented to the Bankers’ Committee to agree on the way it can be realised. The reason is that as an industry, banks cannot continue to take savings and deposits from Nigerians and then, lend to companies that are destroying the environment.

    “Why must Nigeria bring multinational oil companies to destroy our environment? How do we feel about it? They can get the funds and still use it in a responsible manner. I want to see more banks coming to identify with issues of sustainability and protection of the environment,” it said.

    It said banks should not just look at profitability of lending decisions, but should also consider contributions of the borrower to the environment.

    The apex bank however, admitted that such might be an uphill task in a highly competitive banking sector ‘where dog eats dog’. “How can banks do that when they are competing for accounts? Banks should stop looking at size of balance sheet but on how to build sustainable finance,” it said.

    For the regulator, competition in the sector has drastically risen, compared with what was obtainable in the 80s. It therefore admitted that the policy may be stalled by banks not wanting to lose businesses to competitors that care less about the environment, where a borrower has not adhered to set standards.

    Besides, the global environmental impact of businesses, which are largely financed by the banking industry, suggests that the sector has not given adequate attention to environmental impact of their funding activities. It said the tendency to view banking as an environment friendly business is commonplace as it seemed, on the surface, not to be harming the environment and society directly.