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About 12 Anambra companies, known for their unwavering commitment to quality, have been honoured with the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme certificate by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
The awards presentation ceremony was on Thursday at the SON office in Nnewi, Anambra State.
At the event, Mallam Farouk Salim, the Director General of SON, pointed out that the awards were the product of rigorous dedication and commitment, requiring a thorough examination of the manufacturers.
Salim, represented by Mathias Bessy, the Regional Director of the organisation, encouraged manufacturers to remain steadfast in upholding quality, emphasising that quality is an investment, not a bargain.
He said, ‘Quality is a benchmark and SON as Nigeria’s apex bureau of standards cannot compromise in its mandate. Hence, it is consistently awarding deserving companies that have met with the prescribed requirements for the award of MANCAP Certificate.’
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‘With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, Nigeria cannot afford to be in the background. So, manufacturers and other service providers in the country must adhere strictly to the requirements of standards and standardisation activities as enunciated by SON in order to facilitate trade between her and other countries.’
Salim emphasised that standardisation is the cornerstone of every sector in the country’s economy.
He highlighted that SON’s primary focus was on standardising SMEs, comprising approximately 39.65 percent of businesses in Nigeria and employing over 87.9 percent of the nation’s workforce.
He urged manufacturers to incorporate standards and quality into their practices, noting that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, should rightfully assume its place among the world’s nations.
Mr. Chimezie Emenike, representing the awardees, expressed gratitude on their behalf and commended SON for granting the certificates. He assured that these certificates would serve as a catalyst to uphold the quality of their products.
Chief Chukwudi Ogbuji, the Anambra State Coordinator for SON, counselled manufacturers to steadfastly uphold the very standards for which they had received certificates.
