Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has shut fifteen companies producing water, and certified over 100 manufacturing companies in Rivers State.
Making this known recently in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the State Coordinator of SON, Samuel Ayuba, said the companies were basically shut because of the unhygienic environment in which they carried out their work, and the low standard of their materials.
The Coordinator warned that SON will not spare any company or individual that throws caution to the winds by lowering standards in the course of production, which could endanger the lives of citizens.
He urged the public to always report to SON anybody or company involved in such illicit business through text messages, calls or coming directly to the agency, assuring that prompt attention will be given to such information.
Alternatively, he said, people can visit the SON’s website, where toll-free telephone numbers are provided, to make their complaints.
“SON as a Federal Governnment Agency, is charged with the responsibility of enforcing standards and is poised to discharg its statutory responsibility.
“Just give us the information and watch what we are going to do with it. I assure you that the SON, Rivers State Branch, is a force to reckon with and will at all times ensure that only products of high quality are supplied to the markets, warehouses and shops in Rivers State. The idea is to ensure that people have value for their money,” the Coordinator said.
Ayuba stated further that the Rivers State branch of SON under his watch certified about 100 companies that satisfied the laid down requirements for standards in their production for such operations.
He acknowledged the fact that COVID-19 affected activities in all spheres of the economy nationally and even globally, adding that his branch successfully discharged its duties appropriately.
The SON helmsman said they also conducted market surveillance to ascertain the quality of products that are sold to the public.
According to him, they addressed a lot of consumer complaints within the period under review and the products were in most cases replaced to the satisfaction of the customers and sellers.
He urged consumers not to hesitate in reporting to SON any case of either forging their products or his Agency’s approvals, saying that the Director General (DG) of SON, Mallam Salim Farouk, is passionate about prosecuting offenders of substandard products, noting that some have been remanded in prisons across the country.
Ayuba identified limited resources and attitude of the people in cooperating with the SON towards maintaining standards in the country as major challenges confronting his Agency.
Commenting on the level of sensitisation of the people on the functions of SON, the Coordinator said the Organisation runs a regular sensitisation programme on television, print and even public enlightenment campaigns, stressing that SON is a housewhole name in standards enforcement in Nigeria.
He called on Nigerians to partner with *the Agency by reporting or complainin where things are going around them”.