As? Nigeria? celebrates? this year’s? World Standards Day 2011,the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)? yesterday? took? its sensitisation campaign against substandard products? to schools in the Federal Capital Territory,Abuja.
The schools visited by the agency are? Junior Secondary School,Wuse? Zone 2, Abuja, and Junior Secondary School Wuse Zone 3, Abuja.
Director –general of? SON, Dr.Joseph Odumodu, said the agency decided to? mark the event? by? taking? its campaign against substandard products? to schools because? it wanted to inculcate early in the life of the students the need to embrace standards? and create a world where quality was celebrated, bearing in mind that? the students were? future leaders of the country.
Odumodu, who? lectured the students at both schools on the imperative of patronising? quality products, told? them? that? the agency was ready to assist them make informed choices on the products they patronise, adding that quality products? in Nigeria,carried the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) seal of quality which they should always look out for.
“When we fall ill, we rely on the health care equipment used to treat us. When we drive our cars, we have confidence that the engine management, steering and braking and safety systems and tyres are reliable. We expect to be protected against? harmful effects of? substandard products. We want to pay money for a product and get real values for money spent.
“People have lost their lives by the thousands and more are still dying because somebody somewhere decided to trade in these items irrespective of the consequencies of his actions , the economy is also the worse for it .
When next? your parents bought you items that did not bear the NIS mark of quality, please complain to them that it is substandard and if possible , return? the item, it is your right to insist on quality.”
Odumodu also hinted that since August 15,2011, the agency had been engaged in limited enforcement of the standards rule? , but henceforth , it would commence full enforcement .? ?
The agency made a donation of? books and other sundry items to the schools visited.
World Standards Day is an? annual event that recognises experts from around the globe who work with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and other international organisations to develop voluntary standards.
This year’s event? highlighted how international standards for products and services support quality, ecology, safety, reliability, interoperability, efficiency and effectiveness.
The theme: ’’ Creating Confidence Globally,’’ aims to accelerate the availability of high standard in products and services in every nook and cranny of the world.