On Wednesday in Abuja, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) vowed to leave behind a nation devoid of the spread of subpar goods.
Malam Farouk Salim, the director general of SON, made this statement at a press conference to announce the official start of the celebrations planned for the organisation’s 50th anniversary.
The grand opening event for the SON’s operation to monitor product standards in Nigeria will take place on November 28 in Abuja.
Salim claimed that in order to stop the spread of subpar goods and safeguard the nation’s future, the organisation had adopted 213 industrial standards.
In addition to stating that the organisation had undergone numerous changes over the previous 50 years, he claimed that SON had approved over 168 new standards during the previous two years.
He pointed out that the country needed a regulatory organisation to spearhead the process of institutionalising standardisation as a quantifiable method for quality assessment at the time SON was founded.
He asserts that SON has become one of the most renowned regulatory organisations in the world and that it is set up to oversee all activities related to the development of standards for goods, measures, materials, and procedures.
On the occasion of the golden jubilee celebration, the head of SON announced that the organisation had put together a historical compilation of its 50-year evolution as a regulatory authority.
“This celebration is a moment of stock taking and introspection with a view to charting the course of our giant strides into the future.
“I sincerely commend the efforts of our past and present management and staff who made enormous sacrifices to bring us to this enviable height.
“This celebration encompasses book launch, exhibitions by companies with Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), awards to deserving staff and companies who have distinguished themselves in strict adherence to SON ethical standards and regulatory frameworks.
“Just as the past has been presented to us on a golden plate, we shall strive to bring the future to generations to come in platinum by bequeathing to Nigeria, a faultless standardisation custom that will stand the test of time,’’ he stressed.
Salim also promised to institutionalise standardisation in Nigeria and make high-quality goods the de facto standard of everyday life.
