SON Seeks to Reintroduce Amendment Bill to Boost Enforcement Powers

James Emejo in Abuja

The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), has declared its intention to reintroduce a bill seeking to amend its establishment Act to further energise its enforcement powers as well as clarify certain grey areas of the legislation.

SON Director, Legal Services Department, Mr. Bashir Hamis, disclosed this during a sensitisation workshop for journalists in Abuja.

Represented by the Legal Services Officer, Moor Kuma, Hamis said the proposed revised Act will help to strengthen its sanctions regime to serve as a deterrent to violators.

He said, “As of today, we have a backlash with regards to quality of petroleum products. We need a bill for us to have powers to interfere with the quality of petroleum products”

According to him, SON also needed to upgrade its laboratories to make them available for effective certification of goods and services nationwide.”

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Director-Genera/Chief Executive, SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, vowed to strengthen partnership with key stakeholders including the media to boost awareness about its mandate of standards setting.

He further hailed the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council ( PEBEC)’ s ranking of SON as 2nd position out of 20 MDAs recently assessed on their  transparency and effectiveness in duty.

Represented by SON Director, Public Relations, Mrs. Foluso Bolaji, Okeke revealed that SON had introduced various standards infrastructures, including digital applications and certifications, to ensure products in Nigeria adhered to established quality benchmarks.