Ossom

Abuja – The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, said the agency has resolved to adopt additional approaches, including data analytics, risk-based assessment, outcome-focused regulation, collaborative, coordinated and proactive enforcement strategies to rid the country of substandard products.

Salim also said the agency would strengthen its supervisory role over it’s stakeholders in order to ensure that all its certified products deliver value for money to consumers while also tracking manufacturers and importers that use fake SON certification marks as well as logo for prosecution.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a strategic management retreat held recently in Calabar, Cross Rivers State.

Mallam Salim, also said the abency would institute an efficient, open, transparent and effective performance measuring mechanism, as well as a reward and sanctions programme to ensure accountability and consequence management, stressing that a staff recognition and reward programme will be put in place before the end of 2021.

A statement made available to BEN Television in Abuja and signed by SON spokesman, Bola Fashina, the DG said agency has developed it’s strategic plan for 2021 to 2024 to guide it’s programmes and actions geared towards it’s set goals and targets.

The DG noted that the agency would consider the adoption of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System to fully automate and integrate its operations nationwide in order to achieve more effective and efficient service delivery.

He expressed SON’s commitment to the effective implementation of the National Quality Policy recently approved by the Federal Executive Council as well as the Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy to provide adequate support for economic development.

Other strategic decisions taken at the meeting included ensuring that the 21st century work environment that is conducive and digital enabling, geared at maximising the potentials of the employees towards achieving the goals and strategic objectives of the agency and its staff.

It also resolved on the attachment of SON staff to established National Metrology Institutes and testing laboratories outside the country for further exposure.

Others included maintenance of established procedure for the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme for locally manufactured products.