Business

SON Tasks Lubricant Manufacturers On Standards

Published

9 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

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.