Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The director-general and chief executive of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Aboloma, has warned manufacturers in Anambra State not to compromise on standards but increase their efficiency in promoting made-in-Nigeria products to the international market.
He also called on captains of industry, micro, small and medium enterprises in Anambra and other states to join in the quality journey and reap the bountiful benefits in cost saving, quality production, customer confidence, increased market share, employment generation and wealth creation.
Aboloma who gave the charge during the presentation of Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificate to the management of JEZCO Oli Nigeria Limited in its factory in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said the organisation has been fully deployed to ensure that regulatory framework and practices that needed to support and enhance the quality, safety and compliance of goods, services and processes were in operation.
He said the MANCAP scheme was one of such conformity assessment processes used by SON to check that a product, process or service has complied with requirement of the national standard, which he said provide consumers and other stakeholders with added confidence.
The DG, who was represented by the Anambra State coordinator of SON, Mr. Olalekan Omoniyi, an engineer, said the award of the certificate to the company entails that SON demonstrated how standardization and conformance to standard offer strategic opportunities for increased efficiency.
“We are here today, as testimony to SON’s mission to promote confidence and global competitiveness of made-in-Nigeria products and services through standardization and quality assurance. We are here to present MANCAP certificate to JEZCO Oil. I want to congratulate the chief executive officer, management and staff of the company for its laudable achievement.
“We recognise the company for its doggedness and excellence in production with the award of the SON MANCAP certification mark to the product such as JEZCO fully synthetic engine oil 5W/30 SN and JEZCO fully synthetic engine oil 5W/40 SN. With this award, you must proudly display the MANCAP certification mark on your product as evidence that it has undergone evaluation and testing to certify that it will perform as indicated.
“As we attest to the quality feats achieved by the company, let me remind you that the certificate issued to you is on loan and could be recalled or withdrawn with an attendant penalty if any of the conditions attached to the certification is violated. That is, if the quality of the product drops and the company refuses to take correction,” he said.
Omoniyi noted that the certificate meant that JEZCO Oil met the standard, and the organisation would be visiting the factory for routine checks to ensure that the company maintains the standard; after three years, the certificate would be renewed.
He advised the general public to look for MANCAP certificate mark on any JEZCO products, noting that SON had tested the products and approved them as the best quality for consumers.
The general manager of JEZCO Oil, Mrs. Anthonia Eze, after receiving the certificate, thanked SON for finding the company worthy to be in the market. She promised to sustain and maintain the standard.
“I’m very happy for this feat and I promise that we shall maintain the standard SON wants and we will not change. We use best materials to produce our products and for now we are the best in the market,” she said.
She urged the government to eliminate adulterated oil from the market, saying it has been a major challenge. She also called for the provision of stable electricity to reduce the use of generators.
A director of the group, Mr. Orji Victor Sunday, expressed excitement at the certification.
“We are happy for this certificate because it is not easy to compete favourable in the market,” he noted.