The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, has called on exporters to follow standard procedures in the manufacturing and export of their products in order to benefit from the African Growth Opportunity Act, AGOA.
The Director-General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim who said this during an interview with Voice of Nigeria in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital disclosed that the act is aimed at helping African countries export Nigerian goods to the US without duty.
He stated that SON is in a position to assist exporters with needed information on the products they wish to export.
“People just get the information that these products can be exported to America but they don’t follow the procedures of verifying what is needed, what documentation is needed, what certification is needed.”
“if you come to us and say you’re exporting textile to the US, we can help you find out the standards in the US and tell you what the standards are we can even help you find out the specifics that are needed over there.”
While speaking on the achievement of the Off-shore Conformity Assessment, SONCAP Programme and Mandatory Assessment Programme, MANCAP, Mallam Salim said the programmes are working efficiently well noting that the organisation is aiming to make them more efficient.
The SON boss said “If you’re a manufacturer, if you’re exporting overseas, you deal with MANCAP and if you’re a legitimate importer, you deal with SONCAP because when we have the ability to check products coming into the country, if you don’t have a SONCAP certificate then we will have to inspect your product, you have to pay fine to the Nigerian government as a default and then your purchase will be released.”
Mallam Salim who spoke on the need for SON to permanently be based at the port of entry in order to curtail the import of substandard products explained that the National Assembly is currently reviewing the SON Act to ensure SON is permanently at the ports.
“Unfortunately, our organisation was one of those that were wrongly picked by our act of 2015, we were supposed to be at the ports because the agencies left at the ports like customs they are not qualified, they are not trained to look for quality.” He explained.
“So we were recently allowed to come back July last year and we have a lot of progress we made but unfortunately since it is a temporary situation we don’t know when we’ll be asked to leave, we’ve caught a lot of situations where ordinarily we wouldn’t have noticed products been brought into the country that are below standards that are dangerous.”
“So they are working on doing something to make sure by law it is clear that we shall not be moved out again because they recognise the importance of our organisation in safeguarding the country and industries in the country.”
“And the government coming in, thankfully, is no different from the one that was here so I’m sure there’ll be continuity.”
The Director General SON, called on Nigerians to report any case of substandard products to help save lives and properties.
“Our major challenge right now is the awareness by the public, I want the public to be our eyes, our ears, when you see substandard products produced or sold please report to us, you can come through us the office or go through our phones, email, social media handles, we are there waiting for you,” he said.
