Business

SON Tasks Lubricant Manufacturers On Standards

Published

7 years ago

September 18, 2017

The Managing Director, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Anthony Aboloma, has called on manufacturers of lubricants to ensure their products meet the Nigerian Industrial Standard.
Aboloma made the call in Ilorin while presenting SON certificate of Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), to Polar Petrochemicals Ltd.
The Managing Director, who was represented by SON Group Head, Chemical Technology, Mr Agboola Folayan, advised management of the company to adhere to SON standard to sustain and maintain the award.
He therefore called on the management to synergise with the distributors to curb faking and adulteration of the products.
“Faking or any manner of tampering with products is usually traced to improper monitoring and communication gap hence the need to be on the lookout.
“By this certification, the company’s name and products are already in the SON website and can be accessed all over the world.
“The certification has also licensed the company to market its products beyond the shores of this country,” SON boss said.
Aboloma said that the two MANCAP certificates covered five products blended by Polar Petrochemical.
“It is important to note that MANCAP Certification has its conditionality which are clearly communicated in the award letter.
“However, the commitment shown by the management gives me confidence that polar Petrochemicals Ltd. with perseverance will not be found wanting,” Aboloma said.
Aboloma therefore called on Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria products, saying they could compete with similar products manufactured elsewhere in the world.
“I urge the management and staff of the company not to relax as they say quality is not a destination it is a process. The challenges of striving for perfection should be your watch word,” he said.
SON Coordinator in Kwara, Mr Sunday Yashim reminded the management and staff of the company that it was not easy to get the MANCAP Certificates for their products.
Yashim said that management of the company should always strive to sustain the confidence SON had in their products to get the certificates.
He advised them to always improve on their products and should not compromise quality, adding that this was the only way to guarantee getting the certificates for other products.
“Take note that lubricating sub sector is full of competition and adulteration and this is very rampant in Kwara.
“You should guard against any form of adulteration of all your products to win the confidence of your customers,” Yashim said.
The Chairman, Polar Petrochemicals Ltd., Alhaji Tasiu Mustapha said his ambition was to manufacture product or brand that would not only be of good quality but should be acceptable to the consuming public.
“And this has come to reality with the presentation of the certificates.”
The chairman, who was represented by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Muhideen Babalola, described the presentation of the certificates as one of the best things that happened in his life.
“On behalf of myself and management of Polar Petrochemicals, I want to assure you that we shall ensure that the standard with which this company started with shall be sustained to all stakeholders’ satisfaction,” Mustapha said.
He said that the company within a year of its existence had not only won local certification and recognition with the MANCAP quality certification, but other international recognitions.
The chairman said that Polar Petrochemicals was the first lubricant manufacturing company, whether major or independent to be awarded the upgraded ISO 9001:2015 QMS and second in Africa to be so honoured.
He said that the company was the first lubricant manufacturing and marketing company to get the ISO 14001:2016 EMS in Africa.
“Polar Petrochemical is the first Lubricant manufacturing and Marketing Company (Major/independent) to be OHSAS 18001:2007 certified, this is the operational, Health and Safety Assessment Series Awards,” he added.
Mustapha said that the three awards and certification had resulted in nominating Polar Petrochemicals for the World Health and Safety Organisation for the NAIJASAFE AWARD 2017 coming up in Lagos.
“The harvest of awards is the testimony of the brand quality and has positioned not only the product brands but the company in the global league of international recognised company,” the chairman said.
SON head of Chemical Technology in Kwara, Mrs Mariam Dolapo said the certification would be valid for a period of three years from the date of issue.
She said that it was mandatory for polar Petrochemicals to always display the MANCAP logo on all its products.
Dolapo said that the products would be periodically put under surveillance to monitor conformance to standard, adding that “SON has the right to withdraw the certificate and logo if standard is compromised.”

Business

Fuel Scarcity: IPMAN threatens shutdown over bridging claims

Published

7 hours ago

May 3, 2024

The Tide

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum, has exonerated its members from the current fuel scarcity in the country.

According to IPMAN, this is caused by its inability to source petroleum products.

The IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum also threatened to withdraw its services over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members, since 2022.

Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, the Chairman, of the Forum said this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.

Alhassan said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) was the sole importer of the product, but the marketers could not source products from NNPC Ltd. deport, rather from the private depots at high rate.

“We cannot buy fuel from the private depots at N950 and transport the product from Lagos to the North and other parts of the country with N2 million and still sell it at N900 or N1, 000.

“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products in the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

“Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as fuel, we would like to categorically state that PMS scarcity is wholly triggered by inability to get fuel from NNPC and not IPMAN,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye said the disruption was due to logistical issues which had since been resolved.

“We currently have an availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits. Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain,’’ Soneye said.

He however, said the lines would clear out soon.

On the non-payment of bridging claims, the IPMAN forum said it was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal in paying the claims.

“It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down businesses and retrenched employees.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians,’’ Alhassan said.

He recalled that Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), at a stakeholders meeting in February mandated the NMDPRA management to clear the entire debt in 40 days.

“However, today, we have crossed the 40 days’ time lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13 billion has been paid, ignoring minister’s directive.

“We are not happy with the indiscriminate increment in the issuance and renewal of Sales and Storage Licence, by the NMDPRA, and the subsequent delays in acquiring the licence, which our members are recently subjected to.

“We are also calling on President Bola Tinubu to look into this unwholesome figure which is highly detrimental to our business and reverse it forthwith, as it is bound to impact negatively on the masses.

“We are poised to take far reaching decisions that may cripple the supply and sales of petroleum products across Nigeria if our demands are not met within the shortest period of time.

“We are collectively prepared to withdraw our services, shut down every single outlet, and suspend lifting of products forthwith till our demands are fully met, and the consequences will be terrible.

“We call on our members to however remain resolute and law abiding, even as we draw close to the immediate ultimatum for our demands to be met by the NMDPRA,’’ the chairman said.

Reacting to the IPMAN’s claims, the Acting Head, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Seiyefa Osanebi said the bridging claims payment was ongoing.

“The bridging claims payment is always an ongoing process,” she said.

Maritime

Shippers’ Council Registers 160 Port Operators

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.

Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.

By: Chinedu Wosu