Senate calls for the return of SON to ports

The Senate Committee on Industry has called for the return of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, to the nation’s ports.

Senator Sam Egwu, chairman of the committee, made the call during an oversight function to SON’s offices and laboratories in Lagos.

He said it was necessary for the agency to have first-hand information on goods berthing on the shores of the country before being allowed into the markets, adding that Nigeria as a large scale importing country must have its standard organisation at the nation’s point of entry, in order to ascertain the quality of goods coming in.

Egwu stated: “We cannot overemphasis the issue of standardisation, because it is the core for every manufacturing output. We are not happy that SON has not been allowed to operate at its maximum capacity especially with their presence being felt at the port.

“Nigeria is import dependent, with porous borders and for them not to be at the port to inspect these goods first hand is not good enough. They should be allowed to be at the port to see these products before they enter into the market.

Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, told the committee that steady progress had been made over the years under the current leadership of the senate committee on industry.

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