‘SON Enforcement Operations To Bolster Local Industries’

Aluminium manufacturers have commended the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for their continued efforts in ensuring that local industries thrive in the country.

They lauded SON operations across the country, saying, the standards body is responsible for the high quality of locally produced goods in the country which has seen Made-in-Nigeria goods heavily sought after in different countries across the globe.

At a stakeholders’ forum on growing components of the building and construction sectors via standardisation in Lagos, the chairman, Association of Secondary Aluminium Producers (ASAP), Augustine Ani, said the agency stands for quality and standards that have guided aluminium manufacturers in their respective lines of businesses.

“We want to say a big thank you to SON for their cooperation so far and for the sensitisation programme which would take us to the next level,” he said.

Also speaking, the head of Department, Quality (Rolling and Melting), African Steel Mills, Shailesh Kumar, said SON’s enforcement exercises have helped aluminium manufacturers in the country to boost their production capacities, stressing that, the agency is always around the corner to throw their full weight behind local production.

Earlier, the director general, SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, said, the forum is part of the standards body’s resolve to sanitise the nation of fake roofing sheet products as well as sensitising the stakeholders in the industry to always insist on doing things the right way to compete favourably at the international scene.

Represented by the director, Lagos Operations, SON, Mrs. Yeside Akinlabi, he said, the agency is calling on stakeholders in the aluminium roofing sheet sector to adhere strictly to standard quality parameters during production.

According to him, the compliance to the requirements of standard would facilitate certification from SON.

“The objective is to encourage excellent quality products and healthy competition among stakeholders. l advise the leadership of the sector to show leadership commitment, analyse factory and market samples, create consumer awareness and engage in regular training and voluntary competition to ensure quality,” he advised.

“We expect a good operating environment that will engender best practices. It will be a morale booster for people working for you.We would want you to report adulterated products to SON. The consumers do not buy any market product without MANCAP logo. It does not matter where it comes from. It is a sign that the product has not been certified,” Salim said.