In a bid to further strengthen its machinery to confront the circulation of substandard, life-endangering and counterfeited products nationwide, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria has set up a new rapid response Unit.
Speaking during the inauguration at the SON Operational Headquarters in Lagos, the Director-General, Mr. Osita Aboloma stated that the new Surveillance, Investigation, and Monitoring (SIM) Unit will provide independent intelligence gathering, monitoring, assessment and intervention from time to time on activities relating to stakeholder interactions to ensure transparency and accountability.
The setting up of the new unit he said, was also expected to promote effective service delivery and quick turnaround time in the war against the influx and circulation of substandard products in Nigeria.
Spelling out the Unit’s terms of reference, Mr. Aboloma stated that it includes;
- Intelligence gathering on substandard, fake and life-endangering products throughout Nigeria.
- Data collection, collation, analysis, and retention.
- Maintenance of risk profile and register of substandard, fake and life-endangering products.
- Cooperation and collaboration with the Federal Operations and PAAR Units of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and sister Security agencies on information and intelligence gathering, sharing and feedback on matters of substandard, fake and life-endangering products.
- To carry out quality assurance activities and strategic raids/enforcement/regulatory operations to reduce incidences of influx and sale of substandard and life-endangering products on the directives of the DG, SON
- To provide the DG, SON with periodic data on the reduction of substandard, fake and life-endangering products in Nigerian Markets.
The new SIM unit to be coordinated by Mr. Suleiman Isa, a Deputy Director, will be stationed in Lagos, according to the SON Chief Executive. He charged the operatives to be loyal, transparent and prepared to respond promptly, stressing that those will be the requisites for adjudging their effectiveness and efficiency.