Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Friday issued Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) Certification for excellence to 54 companies’ brands in Enugu State.
The Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, while presenting the certificates reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enabling more companies, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to attain MANCAP certification to meet global standards.
Represented by the Head of South-East Regional Operations, Mr Chukwuma Aharanwa Okeke, noted that SON had put in place policies and initiatives to ensure quality and value addition for sustenance of consumers’ interest in Nigerian products and services worldwide.
He said: “Some of these policies and initiatives are seen in the services SON provides to MSMEs, which included: subsidised sale of standards to MSMEs, subsidised certification charges and subsidised laboratory testing charges.
“SONCAP-Import Permit at subsidised service charge to support the importation of raw materials and equipment; inclusion in all technical committees on standards elaboration and recommendation of MSMEs with certified products for financing, Standards Organisation of Nigeria Product Identification Scheme (SONPIS).”
Okeke explained that following issuance of the MANCAP Certificates, SON would undertake periodic factory inspections, sampling and laboratory testing to ensure that products certified continue to meet requirements of relevant standards that had earned establishments’ brands these certifications.
“The product are to be revalidated every three years, and it is of utmost importance that you note that the certificates issued today shall be withdrawn or suspended if the products fail to meet the minimum requirements,” he cautioned.
Okeke congratulated recipients, while urging manufacturers, importers and Exporters to take advantage of the services SON offer to better their businesses as the organisation would not hesitate to sanction any person or group of persons found sabotaging its efforts.
In an address, the Enugu State Coordinator of SON, Engr. Peter Ameh, presented key innovations implemented since the previous audit, adding that they include the adoption of the Electronic Demand and Electronic Receipt (EDER) platform.
“Deployment of the Electronic MANCAP (E-MANCAP), redesign of the MANCAP logo, introduction of the SON Ogbete Market Desk, launch of the SON Product Identification Scheme (SONPIS), acquisition of water test kits, installation of block testing machines, and digitalisation of documentation.”
In a goodwill message, the Director General of Enugu Chambers of Commerce, Mr Uche Mba, urged the companies to strive harder in quality so as to compete globally, assuring that the chamber would always support SON whenever called upon to do so.
Responding, Chief Executive Officer of Occad International Ltd, Chief Cletus Obute, who spoke on behalf of the MANCAP Certificate recipients, appreciated SON for supporting and guiding them towards MANCAP Certification, assuring that they would alway abide by requirements of standards.
