Farouk Salim, DG, SON
.in the bid to attain international standard in calibrating measuring instruments, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned manufacturers against patronizing quacks.
They are advised to always use the National Metrology Institute (NMI), Enugu for calibrating their measuring instruments.
Speaking at a general stakeholders sensitization campaign put together by the Organization in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim said the theme of the event which is “Meeting Global Competitiveness” was in line with the Federal Government efforts to develop exports as another source of revenue to sustain the economy.
Salim gave the warning through Engr. Bede Obayi, Director NMI while delivery a paper on the impact of metrology to the nation’s econmoy. The SON boss said manufacturers should desist from patronizing quacks who claim to have calibration certificate, noting that these unscrupulous individuals do not have the competence and authority to carry out calibration according to international standards. He said that SON would ensure that quacks would have no room to operate in the country.
He said “The quacks are out there to cheat people, stressing that their services do not add value to the industry and economy. SON will ensure calibration of equipment are properly done before verification.
“This is why SON with all its equipment and staff are trained to carry out these services to ensure that calibration is done according to international best practices in Nigeria,” he said.
He further explained that the NMI represented Nigeria in all matters of metrology, stating that the highest accuracy standard of measurement in Nigeria was traceable to the institute.
Salim said that NMI has state-of-the-art equipment and staff trained to carry out these services according to international best practices in Nigeria. “These unscrupulous people do not do calibration and Nigerians should be very careful at the request they are entertaining, because those who are not adding value to them cannot help them to grow.
“So we need to show that calibration is done according to International Organisation for Legal Metrology (IOLM) recommendations.”
According to him, machines must be calibrated to achieve equity in business while also ensuring that products do not fall short of the requirements of the standards.
“The consumers will get value for their money, the manufacturers will be happy because they are producing their products to meet the requirements of SON and that means that Nigerians will be happy to use these products,” he said, adding that Metrology ensures that all the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) for Nigeria’s economic development stands.
“For every component of infrastructural development projects to stand, measurement must be accurate, traceable to the highest level of measurement instruments in Nigeria and these are stored in the institute.”
He noted that the NMI had the capacity to handle such measurements in the areas of mass and related quantities such as pressure, volume, temperature, metrology in chemistry, electrical measurements, dimensions, lengths and all the other parameters that could help Nigeria achieve economic development.
“NMI is there to help industries grow, to help government grow and to give value for money spent by Nigerian consumers whenever they are carrying out purchases, carrying out contractual agreements and carrying out measurement in practice. SON is proud to equip the NMI to serve Nigerians in the areas of measurements”.
Highlighting some of its economic benefits, he said metrology facilitates transactions in trade and commerce, serves as a pillar for the development of science, helps in the determination of major physical and chemical constants and bring about development of technology to a nation and promotes mass production in industries.
He also said that metrology serves as a catalyst for compliance monitoring and control of substandard products in a nation.
According to him, it has been generally accepted that there is a direct relationship between the accurate measurement capability and industrial development of a country. He added that the role and benefit of calibration improve health of citizens and ensure safe environment, promotes improved quality of MSME products, process and services, improves health of citizens and ensure safe environment.
In his words: “Metrology helps conserve foreign exchange that would have been paid to foreign NMIs, full collection of government excise and taxes based on accurate measurement, boost country’s export base by promoting improved quality of products.”
Salim said NMI under his leadership had been properly equipped to carry out some major jobs in the oil industry equipment on Pressure and Temperature. Speaking on the position of Nigeria compared to other clime, he said: “Africa is the continent for the future. We need not be reminded that Nigeria has been the hope of this Africa.
This terrain, especially in infrastructural development, has by become an open space; therefore, metrology development is key. Our goal is to put Nigeria at par with South Africa , Egypt, Tunisia, to enable Nigerian goods compete favourably.
“This will contribute to the wellbeing and respect of its people at home and the much needed African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA). Every developed country has used metrology to find its feet,” he said.
The National Sensitization Coordinator and Senior Special Assistant to the Director General of SON, Chief Emeka Duru, in his remarks, expressed the DG’s passion for standardization and building the confidence of stakeholders in SON.
He urged companies to exhibit unreserved compliance to all the guidance and technical assistance offered by the organisation towards standardisation of their products and processes, through implementation of all the requirements stipulated in the Nigerian Industrial Standards.
Chief Duru advised all present to seize this opportunity provided by the organization in order to gain more knowledge on standardisation,noting that standardisation is the major way to grow the economy.
The Guest Speaker, at the event, Prof. Toafeek Shittu of the Department of Food Science, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, emphasized the importance of standardization especially in the area of food production. He tasked the stakeholders to be standards compliant in their various industries in order to be able to compete locally and globally.
Shittu lamented that most of the agricultural products marked for exports are turned away for lack of proper storage thereby resulting in waste and financial loss for the country. The university don advised the government to provide adequate training and awareness campaigns for export professionals on proper storage procedures and also provide sufficient funding to set up warehouses to store such produce pending export.
Over 700 participants drawn from various sectors of the economy were in attendance. They included representatives of the; National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria; Flour Millers Nigeria; Roofing sheets manufacturing and Crugators; LPG NUPENG; Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; Iron Rod Manufacturers; Bread Millers among others.
