Business
FG Tasks Regulatory Agencies On Standards
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has called on regulatory establishments to apply appropriate conformity assessment measures in ensuring that technical requirements of products, services meet international standard.
Onu made the call at the First National Competitiveness Consultative Forum for Regulatory Establishments on the National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria.
The forum was organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Abuja.
The meeting had its theme as: “The Nigerian Regulatory Establishments: Challenges of Conformity Assessment, Standardisation, Metrology, Certification and Accreditation towards Global Competitiveness Imperatives.
“While industries and businesses are expected to work harmoniously with our scientists in the production of indigenous quality products, my expectation is for regulatory establishments to promote goods and services.
“They should apply appropriate conformity assessment measures in ensuring that specific technical requirements of products, services and systems meet international standards.
“It is important to ensure that certification, accreditation are issued after due diligence, based on professional ethics and values.
“Regulatory bodies all over the world help nations achieve global competitiveness, especially in building trust for world trade in merchandise and services,” Onu said.
He said that the present administration was working assiduously to redirect the economy of the country by monitoring the price of commodities at the international market.
According to him, developing and regulating raw materials in the country require intellect, which will help measure the capacity for innovation of products.
The minister also said that research and innovation needed to be commercialised, adding that the private sector would promote research in the country.
Onu recalled that the National Consultative Committee on Competitiveness was established in 2017 which also brought about the Strategy Implementation Task Unit (SITU).
He was optimistic that the national strategy would enhance irreversible indigenous industrialisation process, higher productivity, enhanced value addition, quality employment generation and national growth.