SON is Committed to Reduces Substandard Goods into the Country to 15% says Odumonu
The SON Director General, Dr Joseph Odumonu
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria, (SON) has vowed to significantly reduce the quantity of substandard goods in the country, before May 2016.
The NAGAFF President, Chief Dr Eugene Nweke, was represented by the Deputy National President in charge of headquarters, Adeyemi Oluwole, in a welcome address said DG to go a step further by creating a forum where our national officers and other members will be given proper training and sensitization programmes in order to afford our members in-depth understanding of the scheme.
NAGAFF is re-affirm that SON is a critical link within the international trade supply value chain and commend the able leadership of DG SON in the area of evolving an e-product registration, e-provision clearance certificate (PCC), etc.
He stressed the need for continued campaign to remind agents on the actual time for moving out On his part, the National Deputy President of NAGAFF, Oluwole Adeyemi, said that trade could not be facilitated under a rigid and uncoordinated process and procedures.
Adeyemi said that there was need for implication, harmonisation and coordinating of activities to enable the organisation to blend with the era of e-commerce trade facilitation.
He commended the organisation on the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform.
“We wish to advice that SON management to go further by creating a forum where our National officers and other members will be given proper training and sensitisation programme.
“This sensitisation will help our members in-depth understanding of the scheme, he said.“We wish to advise SON management to go further by creating a forum where our national officers and other members will be given proper training and sensitisation programme. “This sensitisation will help our members in depth understanding of the scheme,” he added.
The SON Director General, Joseph Odumonu, stated this in Lagos during a courtesy visit to the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); adding that the Government’s new mandate to SON was to reduce the level of sub-standard goods in the country to not more than 15 percent by the first quarter of next year.
“We are already working hard to meet the target”, he indicated, noting that the actual directive is to ensure a zero level as soon as possible.
The SON Director General highlighted that his organization has subsequently intensified the task of collaborating with all other sister agencies to ensure that the mandate could be achieved, in addition to enforcement of compliance with import/export procedure by stakeholders.
Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON); Dr. Joseph Odumodu said that the agency destroyed goods worth N10 billion in the last four years, even as he urged freight forwarding associations to collaborate with the agency to rid the country of sub-standard and fake goods.
Odumodu disclosed this yesterday during his official visit to the Headquarters of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos.He said that the items were destroyed from 2011 to date.
Acknowledging that SON is not an expert in maritime affairs, he said this necessitated his call for collaboration with relevant maritime group like NAGAFF with a view to synergising to put a stop to influx of substandard item into the country.
He noted that the government has mandated the agency to reduce the influx of substandard and fake goods to less than 15%, adding that with the support of the freight forwarding associations it will be achievable.
He told the freight forwarders that, “In the next few years we will reduce sub-standard product to 15 per cent.
“Now we are going through period of change. President Muhammadu Buhari was elected because of honesty and integrity.
“I am pleading with you all to change from all ramifications because many people are dying day by day of cancer as a result of substandard goods coming into the country,” he said.
He compelled freight forwarders to be part of the positive change, adding that they should all comply with the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform.
Odumudu said “if people continue to do the wrong thing by failing to comply, then the organisation would continue in stopping containers on the road”.
“You should all be part of the positive change by complying with the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform,’’ Odumodu warned.He commended the Nigeria Customs Service for supporting the organisation.
In his remarks, Founder of NAGAFF, Chief (DR) Boniface Aniebonam urged freight forwarders and clearing agents to collaborate with SON to reduce substandard products.He said that seized containers should be checked and conveyed to SON’s base by the officials of the organisation instead of at check points.
“Enlightenment platforms and strategic processes can help in solving all the problems encountered during cargo importation as well as cargo clearance,” Aniebonam said.
Furthermore, the host and Founder of NAGAFF, Boniface Aniebonam, urged freight forwarders and clearing agents to collaborate with SON to achieve the new mandate, in the overall interest of the nation., stressing the need to have seized containers checked and conveyed to SON base instead of checking points.
At the end of the meeting, the Deputy President, Adeyemi presenting the NAGAFF Fellow Certificate to the Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON); Dr Joseph Odumodu, while Founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam looks on during DG’s visit to NAGAFF village yesterday
Also in attendance, President of National Council for Managing Director Licensed Custom Agent (NCMDLCA), Festus Ejiofor said the association would continue to support SON on its operations. Ejiofor said NCMDLCA would comply with SON to ensure that containers were no longer stopped on the road.
