March 29, (THEWILL) – A former Director General of Standard Organisation Of Nigeria (SON), Brig Gen. Anthony Etukudo (Rtd), OON, has raised questions over the removal of SON inspection desks at the Nation’s Seaports and border posts across the country.
Etukudo said such a trend poses grave danger to the health and security of Nigerians as sub-standard and fake products are bound to infiltrate the country, masterminded by unpatriotic importers.
The security expert raised the question in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital at the weekend, during a strategic Leadership Retreat organised by SON with the Theme, “Enhancing Public Awareness of the Role and Importance of SON in the Economic Development of Nigeria.”
According to him, “it is shocking to know that SON is no longer at our Seaports and border posts across the country, for destination inspection of imported and exported products in and out of the country.
“The danger is that it is absolutely impossible for SON to comb all nooks and crannies, markets and warehouses in search of sub-standard and fake products dumped into the country by unpatriotic importers.
“The health of Nigerians should not be allowed to be used as guinea pigs, due to bureaucratic lapses and inactions capable of undermining national security and integrity of the Nation.”
The former SON Boss, who took charge of the Organisation as first Director General from 1985 as a department in the Ministry of Industries left in 1990 having moulded it to become a full fledged Parastatal.
He maintained that given the role of SON as the gatekeeper to improve life of the citizenry through standardisation and quality assurance of both imported and local products, it was wrong to have removed SON desks at our nation’s Sea Ports and borders.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, re-establish SON desks in major entry points across the country and for the Organisation to be equipped with modern digital laboratories to enable it assist industries in Nigeria, especially the Small and Medium Scale industries that are not capable to acquire in-built laboratories for standardisation of its products.
“SON should be equipped with modern digital laboratories to meet its vision and mission for the country. It will help, especially the agricultural sector.
“If our agric products such as Cocoa, Coffee, Soya Beans and others, are semi-processed before export, it will add value to our products and command global acceptability to the advantage of farmers because the products will be purchased at international market value.
“Our products will not be rejected by foreign countries. It will earn Nigeria the much needed foreign exchange and improve the integrity and image of Nigeria as an export country”, Etukudo stressed.
The Retired General gave kudos for the passion exhibited by the present Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Sallim, saying that he was impressed by the current status of the Organisation, but called on the Federal Government to give it the necessary support to enable the Parastatal perform maximally.
The Retreat was declared open by the Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb Mariam Katagun.
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