The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Benue State Government, North Central Nigeria says they will enhance their partnership to grow Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the State through improved education and sensitization on adherence to Standards as well as imbibing the culture of Quality.
This resolution was reached during a courtesy visit by the Director-General, SON, Mr Farouk Salim to the Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom in Makurdi, the state capital.
Salim said SON has been providing technical support and expertise to industries in the State since its establishment in 2007.
According to him, “the Organisation is determined to do more by establishing a food testing laboratory that will support the State as the “Food Basket of the Nation”, for the certification of products for local consumption and export.”
“This would in addition to boosting the socio-economic development of the State, reduce the time and efforts committed to transporting agricultural and food products to other States for testing.”
The SON Chief Executive, however, appealed for the provision of a more spacious and befitting temporary office for the organisation stressing that its activities have outgrown the current office space.
Salim also requested Governor Ortom to allocate another parcel of land within Makurdi city to enable SON to commence the construction of its permanent office complex, laboratory and storage facility, pointing out that the earlier allocated land had been encroached and not easily accessible.
The SON DG also appealed for the provision of an additional operational vehicle to enable the Staff to reach all nooks and crannies of Benue State with the gospel of standardization and quality assurance.
He offered the various International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) management systems accredited training and certification services being conducted by SON to bolster efficient service delivery in the State.
Governor of the state, Mr Samuel Ortom expressed appreciation of SON’s efforts in the performance of its products and systems regulatory role in the country and for protecting Nigerians from the menace of substandard products and their negative effects.
He assured the SON Director-General of his personal commitment to supporting the organisation being a former Chairman of its Governing Council and a Minister who supervised its activities at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
He directed the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Tony Ijohor to take prompt action on the requests from SON, stressing that Benue State is most receptive to assisting agencies of the Federal Government to support the State in enhancing its socio-economic development.
Suzan O
