Business
‘SON, Still Effective Outside Ports’
Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu said that to deal with suspicious cargoes, it was better for the organisation to work within the vicinity of the ports.
Odumodu made this known when he fielded questions from newsmen in Abuja, recently.
Reports say that the Federal Government recently reduced the number of agencies operating within the ports from 14 to eight under its ports reform agenda.
SON was among agencies not listed to continue to operate within the ports, but could operate there on invitation.
“The ejection of SON is a government decision and I am aware that government must have taken that decision in the best interest of Nigerians.
“However, we are the operators and we are aware that it will better for us to deal with suspicious cargo within the vicinity of the ports than outside of the ports.
“All we have done now is that we have changed our strategy; in fact sometimes we station our people outside of the ports and when those containers come out, we pick them up and ask for details; the only challenge is logistics.’’
Odumodu said that SON needed more money and people to be able to police the markets and warehouses, stressing that monitoring was easier when those to be monitored were grouped together or were in clusters than if they were dispersed all over the country.
He added that SON had made a case to government and that “at the right time, I believe the decision will be made in the best interest of the country’’.
Commenting on manufacturers’ performance, he said that in the next five years to six years, Nigerian products would constitute at least half of consumer’s products in the country’s markets.
“Ultimately, one of the measures for our performance is that within the next five or six years, made-in-Nigeria products will constitute at least half of our consumer products.
“Because, I can tell you and am very proud to say that Nigerian manufacturers are meeting all the minimum standards; most of them are meeting the minimum standard of the Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS).
“If we are able to support them to increase their outputs, then we will already be solving the problems that we currently involved in.
“And in addition to that, if we increase their outputs, they will increase their capacities, they will employ more Nigerians; they will pay more tax.’’
Odumodu said current development in the manufacturing sector in the area of producing quality goods was in consonance with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda, job creation and Economic development.
Business
NCDMB, Dangote Refinery Unveil JTC On Deepening Local Content
Business
Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund For LIFE-ND Project
Business
Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP
-
Business4 days ago
CRG Partner JR Farms To Plant 30m Coffee Seedlings
-
Foods/Drinks4 days ago
What To Know About Your Menu
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Don Highlights On The Potential Of Groundwater As Hidden Wealth For Sustainable Future
-
Rivers4 days ago
Four Internet Fraudstars Get Different Jail Terms In PH
-
Opinion4 days ago
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
-
Business4 days ago
PH Women Plan Alternative Stew, Shun Tomato High Prices
-
Sports4 days ago
Nigerian Athletes Serving Doping Bans
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
NDLEA Intercepts 584.171kg Hard Drugs In Bayelsa … Arrests 559 Suspects