Date: 2017-02-17

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has vowed to ensure total compliance with quality of goods and services being imported into the country and those being produced locally in order to improve the economic development of the country.

?The Kwara State Coordinator of SON, Mr. Sunday Yashim, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin shortly after presenting Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to Forgo Battery Ltd. Ilorin said: "The agency is poised to make life save for Nigerians by ensuring that quality goods and services are produced for people's consumption and usage without any adverse effect on their socio well being."

Forgo Battery Company being an innovative establishment is an emerging major player in the automotive battery sector.

He said: "SON had identified that most substandard products were imported from China, adding that the organisation was ready to ensure that foreign companies complied with its Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

"We have found out that most of the substandard products in Nigeria are from China, and we have our people in place over there to make sure that they produce to our standards. We are ready to make sure substandard goods are taken out of the Nigerian markets."

Yashim, who represented the Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma at the event, however, presented the MANCAP certificate to the Managing Director of Forgo Batteries, Ilorin, Mr. Offorjama Joseph.

Yashim however warned that the certification, which had a unique number, could not be transferred and the MANCAP logo could be used only on the awardees products.

"In view of the above, the organization attaches conditions to the certificate and use of the logo, this includes that the certificate is valid for a period of three years. "The certificate may be revalidated at the end of the third year and MANCAP certification number and logo cannot be shared or transferred.

"The certificate will be withdrawn if the number is shared in addition to lack of conformance of the product to minimum requirement of the standard," he added.

Yashim therefore appealed to the staff and management of the company to ensure the sustainability of quality products. In his remark, the Managing Director of the Forgo Battery Limited, Ilorin, Mr. Mrs. Offorjama Joseph expressed his appreciated to SON for its guidance and encouragement in? the process leading to the certificate.

According to him, "We appreciate the objectives and role of SON in ensuring products manufactured in Nigeria competes in quality with best brands anywhere in the world.

"At this juncture, I want to commend the efforts of the director general of SON in his resolve toward ensuring that manufacturers adopt best practices and their products comply with Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS)

"The presentation of MANCAP certificate to Forgo today for us is a starting point and we will like to sincerely thank the head of SON in the state, and his team in ensuring that today is a success and reality."

Offorjama however identified lack of adequate power supply and sourcing foreign exchange as major challenges facing the Nigerian industries. He said that some raw materials and spare parts for the production of batteries were still being imported.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to help industries in the areas of foreign exchange and improved power supply. Also speaking at the event, the state commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Muhammed Riffin said that, the state government would continue to support local manufacturing companies in the bid to add values to the economic development of the state. The commissioner who was represented by the Director of Commerce, Alhaja Aishat Abubakar, urged the company to continue to produce quality goods adding that, this would assist the company to move forward.