X-raying SON’s Footprint Across Nigeria
Gilbert Ekwugbe examines the Standard Organisation of Nigeria plans to have its presence felt in all the geopolitical zones of the country and beyond
The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) in pursuance of its statutory mandates has in its strategic plans to have its presence felt in all the geopolitical zones of the country and beyond. The idea is not to only help ease operations but to also cover the entire spectrum of its mandates, maximize resources to achieving optimum productivity with the overall goal of boosting the nation’s economy.
In realization of this strategic objective, the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON has built complexes in Akwa Ibom- South South, Ekiti in the South West, Kwara in the North Central and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with similar projects ongoing in Kogi and Delta states.
The establishment of the North East Regional office and laboratory complex of the Standard Organization of Nigeria commissioned in Bauchi state on the 8th December, 2022 was another milestone in the quest to deepen and widen the horizon of activities of the Agency in Nigeria.
This is more so that Bauchi state in the North East geopolitical zone of the country accounts for a fair percentage of trade and commerce in agro-allied businesses and livestock production which requires regulations by the Agency, hence the need for the laboratory complex which will for now serve all the States in the zone, thereby adding to the programme of the federal government of ‘Ease of Doing Business Initiative’.
This informed the zeal with which the Director General of the SON, Dr Farouk Salim took the project to the point of completion and commissioning. He saw the excellent disposition of the people of Bauchi state to entrepreneur and being that, it was the first state in the zone to offer a parcel of land to SON for the establishment of the regional office and laboratory complex.
Laboratory Complex in Bauchi
Standard Organization of Nigeria has always key- in into the federal government’s socioeconomic plans, part of which is to create a conducive environment for the growth of the local industries and to attract foreign investments.
This can be achieved only if there is standardization in what the entrepreneurs produced, of which testing is a critical component of conformity assessment programme of SON.
Before now, most samples of products from the North East zone were transported to Lagos for testing at a very high cost with associated problems for perishable commodities as well as risk of accidents. Often samples get destroyed before they get to the laboratory for testing.
Thus, overcoming all these challenges made it imperative for the establishment of the North East Laboratory in Bauchi and other states including the FCT, Abuja. The prime factor was the need to improve the turnaround time for the delivery of laboratory services, thereby protecting the integrity of the testing systems, with the overall goal of the SON to reduce the cost of business for Micro. Small, Medium Enterprises in the North East geopolitical zone of the country.
The regional office is expected to help entrepreneurs interact with Officials of SON better in a language they understand through information dissemination and accurate education on other services outside sample testing with a view to ensuring that both entrepreneurs and SON operate in accordance with the set standards in line with the international bodies as they relate to food technology and livestock production for which the people of Bauchi state have comparative advantage on.
This explains why the laboratories are in food chemistry which would focus on food related products including a popular Bauchi “Masa and Danbum Nama’ while the engineering laboratory is dedicated to products in the building industry such as Lafarge Cement Company in neighbouring Gombe state and thousands of block moulders across the North East geopolitical zone.
Regional Office in North East
With the commissioning of the complex, it is a new dawn for the development of MSMEs in Bauchi, the North East and Nigeria as a whole. This is because trade and commerce in animal food processing and agro allied industries including Halal market estimated at 2.3 trillion dollars would be boosted as some MDAs are prepared to partner.
Additionally, the admission of SON as a member of standards and metrology Institute of Islamic countries responsible for regulating Halal certification will encourage the federal government to expedite action for an early completion of the Halal Institute in Kano.
The SON laboratory in Bauchi can also in the future be retooled for an oil and gas laboratory following the successful drilling of crude oil at the Kolmani Integrated Oil field located within the suburbs of Gombe and BAUCHI States, thus, a value addition.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The establishment of the North East regional office and laboratory was a resolve of The SON to secure accreditation for the laboratories before the expiration of the Director General’s tenure in office, as the accreditation would ensure global acceptance with the principle of “tested once, accepted globally’ with positive multiplier effects on both subnational and national economy.
Already, many of the MSMEs who have formed themselves into clusters are expected to submit their entities cum operational preferences for profiling to enable optimum service delivery expected to grow their businesses.
ACTIVITIES AT THE COMMISSIONING
The unveiling of the complex which marked the commissioning was done by the minister of state, Industry, Trade and Investments, Ambassador Mariam Katagum along with Bauchi state Governor Sen. Bala Mohammed. The event attracted the Emirs, captain of industries, MSMEs among other dignitaries.
The event also preceded by several stakeholders sharing experiences and charting a way forward and commendation to the Director General, SON, Mallam Farouk Salim for his visionary leadership style.
