The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is partnering Alaba Electronic Dealers and the Association of National Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in the campaign against fake and substandard goods.
The partnership, according to SON, is apt and coming at a time when the agency has continued to receive numerous complaints from consumers, maintaining that the strategic collaboration would go a long way to reduce the influx of substandard goods to the barest minimum.
Director-general of SON, Osita Aboloma, during a courtesy visit by the Alaba electronic dealers and ANLCA to SON’s office in Lagos, explained that it has classified most of the Alaba products sold in Alaba as life-endangering, urging the electronic dealers to deploy a self-regulatory mechanism to check againt the influx of substandard goods.
In his words, “if you are recognised as being a standard ambassador, people will have more confidence in your products. You will have traceability of your products. Quality and standards keep evolving and we need continuous feedback from you. We need you to be quality vanguards. We want to rekindle our relationship, emulate your neighbours, the Electrical Dealers Association of Nigeria (EDAN), establish a SON desk in your market, bring quality assurance closer to you people. This is what I propose. We want you to come with us to sensitise other markets where they sell electronics to let them know what they need to do by conforming to standards. It is going to be a win-win situation because your turnover will increase.”
He urged the association to be abreast with the agency’s innovation and development.
He added that the standards body has automated its clearing processes for effective service delivery while also reducing human interference and reduction in turnaround time
“Our automation is flawless, it reduces the turnaround time for clearing. The automation in respect to product registration and pre-shipment document (SONCAP) have all been automated. So, if somebody informs you that he incurred demurrage because of SONCAP, that is a deliberate move to misinform the public. You cannot even ship your products into the country without securing some kind of product registration. It makes the process of clearing goods seamless without compromising the quality of goods coming into Nigeria,” he said.
Also, the national president, ANLCA, Iju Nwabunike, said the association was looking forward to continually support government through all lawful means within its capacity, while demanding continuous compliance orientation, training and seminars of its members to help SON achieve its goals and objectives.
He commended SON’s automation processes, saying that it has helped to achieve seamless cargo clearing activities.
The executive chairman of Alaba Electronics, Paulinus Ugochukwu, stated that, since his assumption of office, it has not been business as usual for electronic dealers, saying that his administration is working hard to bring back the glory days of Alaba International market.
He urged electronic dealers to establish their own brands, saying that the established local brands are doing very well in the market while also competing with foreign brands.
He pledged to partner SON to bring to an end fake and substandard products tarnishing the image of Alaba International Market.
“We will engage in sensitisation programmes to encourage dealers to produce their own brand, going forward,” he said.
