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By Kenneth Jukpor
As part of efforts to ensure compliance to standards by dealers in electronics in Alaba International market, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the International Market Association Electronics (IMAE), Alaba, have set up a joint taskforce.
The taskforce would comprise members of the association as well as officials of SON, with the onus of taking regulation closer to the importers and traders.
The Director General of SON, Barr. Osita Aboloma stressed this while speaking during a sensitization workshop for the International Market Association (Electronics Section) Alaba, earlier today.
Aboloma who was represented by the Director, DG’s office, Engr. Yahaya Bukar noted that the taskforce earlier proposed by the association has been approved by SON as the agency was interested in the partnership.
He asserted that the engagement was one of SON’s approach to fight the war against substandard products from within.
The SON boss encouraged the importers to approach SON to enable them brand their manufactured products with their brand-names rather than using labels of already established foreign brands.
“Substandard and fake electronic gadgets cause lots of hazards including, electrocution, deaths, injuries, loss of revenue, among others. We seek your contribution as worthy stakeholders in this fight against sub-standard products. We urge you to avoid noncompliant trade,” he said.
The workshop was also an avenue to create awareness on SON activities with SON officials making presentations on Standards, SON CAP, Ports and Borders, Product Registration, Laboratory Services, MANCAP and Inspectorate and Compliance.
Earlier, the President of IMAE, Mr. Paulinus Ugochukwu called on the Federal Government to address the challenge of power supply and the deplorable access roads to the Alaba International market.
Ugochukwu also admonished the government to reopen the nation’s land borders, noting that genuine traders and importers have suffered severely from the border closure.
He assured SON that members of the association would continue to adhere to stipulated SON standards even as he encouraged his colleagues to tilt towards manufacturing rather than importing finished electronic products.
He observed that the theme of the event, “Promoting Self-Regulation to Eradicate Substandard Electronics from Nigerian Markets” showed the high degree of stakeholders’ engagement by SON to sanitize and rid Nigeria of substandard products.
“As an association, we understand the profitability and benefits of the objectives of SON and having collaborated with them in the past, we already have in existence a committee whose duty is to ensure the prohibition of substandard products in the market and we hope to do more in achieving this goai,” he assured.
The event also included display of several branded and authentic products owned by members of the association, as the business dealers showcased their products to the SON leadership.
