Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and other local manufacturers have been enjoined to maintain standards in production in a bid to encourage Nigerian consumers to patronize made in Nigeria products.
Director General Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Faruk Salim made the call at a one day stakeholders' sensitization workshop theme: ZERO Tolerance for Substandard Products.
Salim pointed out that the nation cannot survive substandard goods as it takes jobs away from the citizens, causes loss of lives and crumbles the nation's economy.
He reiterated the place of standards in the growth of industry.
This was even as the agency noted that if the country’s industries are doing well, the value of the naira will not fall.
The Director General emphasised the need for standardisation of products and services for a better economy.
He urged Nigerians to appreciate and patronize made in Nigeria products for the good of all.
“Other countries make emphasis on products made in their country. So, why can’t Nigerians do the same, why must we patronize other countries to the detriment of ours?”
According to him, industries cannot survive substandard goods saying without standards, there won’t be industries.
“If our industries are doing well, naira will not fail. Without standards, the industry will not survive. The Standard Organisation of Nigeria is the heart of the industry. Without industry, we will not exist. The sooner we realise that the fight is for all of us the better for the country”, he said.
He said in the previous years, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria was at cross purposes with the SON based on simple basic things that may not necessarily be even important to the industry, noting that but now, the association has been able to understand the purpose better and improve on some policies.
“They can still do better. The industry and the regulators are suppose to synergize as the industry is the heart of the nation. So the industry is very important to the development and the dignity of a nation.
“We cry a lot about the falling Naira our indices are doing very well. Our currency will not fail if we base our income on our commodity, the chances are that even the industry will not survive because the naira will keep going down. The dollar will keep going up.
“We need to buy made and consume made in Nigeria products and do away with substandard products in the country. It’s a matter of life and death issue for our nation. It’s a life and death issue for the industry. Every industrialist here, understands what substandard good does to their business and their bottom line.
“Some importers bring in substandard goods, some manufacturers produce substandard goods in the country and some consumers buy substandard because of the cheapness, these are dangerous to our lives. It’s a chains thing. Even the effect is a chain thing.
“When an industry closes as a result of fire due to substandard cables, about 1,000 people lose their jobs. When 1,000 people lose their jobs like 100,000 individuals are now in trouble because in our society there is hardly one person here who does not have more than 10 people directly or indirectly feeding from him or her. So, the industry cannot survive substandard goods”, he further said.
The keynote speaker, Chinyere V. Egwuonwu, CEO/ Lead Consultant, Pearlcee Consult Limited disclosed that Nigeria is one of the markets with substandard products.
She lamented that the country lost N15 trillion annually to substandard products, adding that the country was fast becoming a dumping ground for substandard goods, which was threatening the economy.
She called on stakeholders to work together to stop the trend.
“We all have a role to play, the fight is for everyone. The public and private partnership is needed to fight the menace”, she said calling on government to make policies that would stop the trend of substandard products in the country.
“The importer should stop importing substandard goods, the local producers should meet up with standards and the consumers should not patronise low quality goods. Tell your neighbours. You see something, say something”, she concluded.
The high point of the event was presentation of the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to variour deserving companies.
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