Rivers

SON Warns Against Patronising Substandard Products

Published

3 years ago

June 16, 2022

The Director-General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Farouk Salim has advised Nigerians, to desist from patronising importers and manufacturers of substandard products.
Salim gave the advice at a one-day sensitisation programme organised by the organisation in Port Harcourt to create awareness on the dangers of patronising substandard products.
He said the essence of the programme was to ensure that the public stopped patronising both manufacturers and importers of substandard products in order to save lives in the country.
According to him, one of the challenges facing the country is the issue of importation and production of fake and substandard products.
The SON D-G said some of the fake and substandard products are cheap, hence the need for individuals and stakeholders to collaborate with the organisation to inform the public.
“One of the biggest challenges is that both the educated and the illiterate are patronising these fake products.
“The individuals or importers that bring in substandard products are criminally minded as they do not consider the damage being done to the country.
“We are doing everything possible to address this issue as well as ensure that our jobs are efficient. We created nine Directorates for people to obtain information without going to the headquarters,” he said.
Salim noted that the negative implication of substandard products in the society were enormous.
“When people import substandard goods it means that there are original goods in the market that are more expensive than the substandard ones.
“If people do not patronise good products in the market, the factories will close down, and a lot of people will lose their jobs.
“The effect is hardship, unemployment, crime, banditry, terrorism and reduction in the country’s tax revenue,” he said.
Salim, therefore, urged the public to report offenders of substandard products in the country to the nearest police station or to SON using telephone and through their official website for prompt action.
On her part, the Commander of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Onne Port, Mrs Stella Ngwoke, said the agency would collaborate with SON to maintain standardisation.
Ngboke commended SON for organising the programme to address the proliferation of substandard goods by some persons in order to make more profit.
According to her, when SON gets it right, lives are saved, the economy improves, and made-in-Nigeria goods will be more patronised in the country.
The State Coordinator of SON in Rivers State, Mr Samuel Ayuba, said the event was an avenue for stakeholders to collaborate in the fight against substandard products.
He urged Nigerians to read through the instructions on any product and be wary of fake, and called on local manufacturers not to allow importers of substandard products trade on their products.
Ayuba, therefore, warned manufactures and importers of substandard goods in the country to desist or face prosecution.

Rivers

NSE Members Tasked On National Dev

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.

Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.

Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.

The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.

He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.

Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.

This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.

Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.

Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.

Rivers

VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.

Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.

“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.

Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.

He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.

He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.

“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.

Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and effective library.

She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.

Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.

High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.

Akujobi Amadi

Rivers

Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).

In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.

The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.

Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.

The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.