The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Aboloma, has warned manufacturers of products that have direct impact on safety and health of consumers against sharp practices to avoid disasters.
Aboloma gave the warning, yesterday in Ado Ekiti at a one-day sensitisation programme on “Importance of Metrology for Quality Assurance for stakeholders in the Southwest”.
The director-general, represented by SON Southwest Regional Coordinator, Mrs Tosan Akosile said the agency was worried at the increasing inconsistence in the measures and units used in evaluating products and services in the country.
“SON is deeply alarmed at this practice which has significantly reduced economic growth and integrity of services in the country,” he said.
He described metrology as a science of measurement which must not be ignored during any production process.
“Measurement is an important part of our everyday lives; the iron rod maker, the fuel dealer, the agro-produce farmer, the exporter, the gas distributor, the engineer on site, among others.
“All must all ensure that measurement of products and services are done accurately if they will deliver quality and value to the customers.
“Measurement has always been needed to facilitate trade. Business and commercial processes cannot be regarded to be fair and honest when the weights and measures are inappropriate,” Aboloma said.
An Expert, Mr Olalekan Omoniyi also delivered a lecture titled: “Importance of Metrology in Quality Assurance”.
He said that many of the nation’s products meant for export had often been rejected, largely because of inaccurate measurement, arising from lack of functional quality control policy.
According to him, history of metrology and measurement go pari passu and through such mechanism, consumers do not get cheated or harmed.
Omoniyi said that every form of manufactured product and other products needed metrology in order not to keep consumers in doubt about their safety.
“No business can be conducted unless each person is sure the other person is being fair and honest. Fair and honest trade needs accurate weights and measures,” he said.
Earlier, while welcoming the participants, the Head of SON in Ekiti, Mr Ayeni Feyisayo urged them to translate the knowledge gained into action in their various callings by imbibing the culture of correct measurement of their products.