FG To Strengthen SON, NAFDAC

The Federal Government is to strengthen its agencies in the fight against the influx of substandard goods..

Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga made the declaration on Saturday in Lagos during the Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) awards ceremony organised by the Standards Organisation of Nigerian (SON).

Aganga said that the government was straightening its processes and various regulatory agencies like the SON, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Customs service and other agencies to ensure effectiveness in combating substandard goods.

He said the menace of substandard goods required collaboration of relevant government agencies and the organised private sector to rid the country off the unwholesome products.

Aganga advised government agencies to redouble their efforts in assisting indigenous companies to achieve greater capacity utilisation.

“It is gratifying to note that the quality of some products manufactured in Nigeria today is the envy of the outside world, such that imported products are fraudulently labelled Made-in-Nigeria and shipped into the country.

“Some good examples are our locally manufactured electric cables, textiles, among others, “he said.

Aganga said that the transformation agenda of the Federal Government was aimed largely at tackling critical areas of infrastructural development that would reposition the manufacturing sector.

According to him, the government is also committed to the promotion of small and medium- scale industries through various programmes.

He said that one of such programmes was the capacity development programme for small and medium-enterprises being undertaken by SON in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat with active participation of relevant stakeholders in the nation.

The minister said that the introduction SONCAP and MANCAP was to protect local industries and ensure a level playing field in market access and competitiveness.

He commended the local industries, whose products were adjudged to have conformed consistently to the specifications in the relevant NIS, for complying with good manufacturing practices in spite of daunting infrastructural challenges.