SON inaugurates mobile calibration equipment in Rivers

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has inaugurated a mobile calibration vehicle and measurement equipment for servicing companies in Rivers.

The Director-General of SON, Mr Farouk Salim, during the inauguration and sensitisation of stakeholders on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, said that the equipment would boost access and confidence to testing of products in Nigeria, especially in Rivers.

Salim, represented by Mr Samuel Ayuba, the State Coordinator for SON, said that the inauguration of the equipment matched SON’s mandate on quality assurance and standardisation.

According to him, SON is the apex standard body in Nigeria coordinating all standardisation activities in close collaboration with stakeholders in manufacturing, service providers, consumer associations, sectoral associations, oil producing and servicing companies.

“SON is also vested with the responsibility of formulating, issuing and enforcing the Nigerian industrial standards,” he said.

Salim said that SON had deemed it fit to bring accurate measurements to stakeholders’ doorstep in Port Harcourt being the hub of industrial commercial activities in oil and gas.

Salim said that the mobile calibration equipment would ensure that manufacturers measure and sell their products locally and internationally.

The director-general said that the importance of calibration of products was the key to resolve disputes in international trade.

Salim said that SON under his watch would offer calibration services to mobile laboratories and facilities toward expanding services across the country.

He urged stakeholders in manufacturing and servicing companies to make their orders or bookings for the mobile equipment to be taken to their sites, to conduct calibration in line with the international best practices.

He assured that operators would get it right by imbibing the culture of regular calibration.

This, he said would save lives, ensure economic development and also serve remote areas, thereby enhancing the national economic growth.

Salim mentioned other benefits as a catalyst for compliance monitoring and control of substandard products across the country, promotion of mass production for industries and businesses, facilitation of transactions in businesses, trade and commerce, among others.

Salim assured stakeholders of affordable services when compared with the cost of sending their products outside the country.

Mr Mike Elechi, the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), commended SON for its achievement and inauguration of the equipment in the state.

Elechi, represented by Mr Erasmus Chukwunda, a Director in the Chamber, stated that PHCCIMA embodied all businesses in Rivers.

He said that the state had long desired to have the calibration equipment, adding that its benefits to the people of Rivers were assured.

He also assured that the organisation would sensitise its members of the benefits of the equipment in doing their businesses.

Mr Adawari Pepple, the Chairman Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Rivers/Bayelsa, represented by Mr Mike Agana, also commended SON for the deployment of the equipment to Rivers.

“All measuring devices require calibration, regardless of what you do, and measurement requires all human endeavours to get the right result,” Pepple said.

Pepple urged SON to employ experts to handle the equipment and also train and retrain more staff for quality services.

“I assure you that members of MAN in Rivers and Bayelsa will patronise your services, I pray that the service charges are affordable,” he said. (NAN)