The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has engaged 100 stakeholders on “Consumers Safety, Compliance, and Rights” in Kwara.
The event, organised for states in the Northern Zone, drew participants from the manufacturing sector and regulatory agencies, in Ilorin on Friday.
Addressing the participants, the Director General of SON, Malam Farouk Salim, said standardisation had the capacity to optimise operations, also improve the bottom line and enhance consumers satisfaction.
Salim, represented by Mr Ayeni Oyebola, the Kwara Coordinator of SON, said that as products and services regulatory agency, the organisation was concerned about consumers safety, compliance and rights, hence the stakeholders’ engagement.
“It is important we engage Nigerians and make them understand the work we do, so that they will have the confidence to interact with us.
“They see us as a declarative body and we are ready to discuss, also ready to have feedbacks as well as ready to improve.
“Currently, we are automating many of our operations procedures, so that we can engage our customers online, for them to get to know SON better,” he said.
The director general reiterated that the organisation was concerned about Nigerians and what they consume, as they were aware that the citizens could lose resources due to substandard products.
He however said that the aim of the meeting was to create an awareness in a way that substandard products in the country could be reduced.
Delivering a lecture on: “Awareness of Consumer Safety, Compliance and Rights”, Prof. Adedibu Tella of the University of Ilorin, underscored the need to raise the awareness of the general public.
“This is to ensure that consumers have unhindered access to reliable products,” he said.
Tella, a Professor of Chemistry, defined consumer safety as measures taken by manufacturers and service providers to ensure their products and services did not post any risk to consumers.
He said chemical experts regretted that consumer right in Nigeria was low, saying“such accounted for why a consumer would purchase a certain product, spot defect and decides to trash it without complain.
“A consumer will receive a poor service and choose not to complain, only contented with informing an unsuspecting consumer not to patronise the service,” he said.
Tella suggested that the organisation of public education programme by SON to educate consumers about their rights and responsibilities.
He also recommended organisation of sensitisation programmes in order to raise awareness of consumer rights and the importance of complying with safety standards and regulations as way forward.
Mr Paul Popoola, a participant, described the stakeholders engagement as very timely and highly beneficial to the consumers, manufacturers and other relevant stakeholders.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the stakeholders in attendance included National Identity Management Commission, National Examination Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Custom Service and some manufacturers. (NAN)
