I will Build on Existing Achievements, Drive Economic Diversification, Says SON DG

Crusoe Osagie
The recently appointed Director General of the  Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Aboloma Osita, yesterday  stated that as the new boss of the standards body, he would build on existing laudable achievements recorded by his predecessors.

The SON chief executive officer added that his major vision for the agency is to play a critical role in the present administration’s drive to diversify the nation’s economy away from total dependence on hydrocarbon resources, saying that plans are also in place to ease doing business in Nigeria without compromising standards.

Osita, during an inspection exercise in Lagos to acquaint himself with some of major developmental projects of the agency so far, said there would be little or no room for review under his regime, while commending his predecessors for recording milestone achievements.

According to him, “I am flattered and happy to be with you today. This is going to be the beginning of a new journey in SON. We are starting a new relationship in SON. This meeting is a dawn of a new era. It has to be a collective effort to take SON to the next level.

The present administration acknowledges what SON represents and we know the nation is at a critical situation presently and the federal government wants to diversify its economic revenue from a single product which is petroleum products to non petroleum products and we have a very serious role to play. We have to be the new face of this endeavour without compromising standards in both locally produced and imported products,” he added.

According to him, “We want to be a reference point to other institutions in this new endeavour that the government is aiming to embark on. All the laudable projects or activities that have been going on with my predecessors, will have little or no room for review. All we have to do is work together and make the best out of what we have. I want to give further assurance that we will surmount the present challenges confronting the agency, because I want us to stand at par with other regulatory agencies. I want to call on everybody here to assist me wherever you can to make a difference. Learning is a continuous process, but change is constant,” he stressed.

He said all hands are on deck to surmount challenges hindering the agency to carry out its mandate, assuring his staff of the necessary support to boost their morale and productivity.
“I am not changing anything. I am going to continue with the laudable achievements I have met on ground. I will continue from there and take it to the next level and I cannot do much without your support. We are not changing the attitude to work, but we want to change the way the public perceives us,” he noted.

He said: “Every other reasonable things that will improve efficiency of our staff, we will continue to support you. We believe in increasing productivity of our staff and we will continue to boost their confidence so far you are doing the right thing. I will do everything to boost your morale to achieve our mandate. This is one of the several visits to ensure we take the organisation to the next level.”
The former acting Director General, SON, Mr. Paul Angya, however charged the staff to give their 100 per cent to support the new Director General to achieve the agency’s mandate of zero tolerance to substandard products in the country