Femi Gbajabiamila (Photo: Premium Times)
The lawmaker however promised stakeholders that the bill would address the conflicts between SON and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
By Valentine Amanze
The Nigerian House of Representatives has approved the amendment of the bill aimed at widening the scope and strengthening the duties of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
With the development, other government agencies that had been usurping the duties of SON, especially at the nation’s entry points, would now give way.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the approval during the House Committee on Industry Public Hearing on the Bill to Expand the Scope and Functions of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
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He said that the amendment of the bill was necessary for effective control and regulation of products in the country to meet international best practices.
Gbajabiamila also assured that there would be stiff penalties on the offenders.
The Chairman, House Committee on Industry, Dr. Enitan Dolapo Badru, who led his group during his presentation, televised on Arise Tv, reassured on the commitment of the House to reposition major regulatory agencies for effective service delivery.
The lawmaker however promised stakeholders that the bill would address the conflicts between SON and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
He pointed out that SON was the sole statutory body to vested with the responsibility of standardizing and regulating the quality of all goods in Nigeria.
Besides, the lawmakers agreed that many things were being done with reckless impunity in Nigeria, otherwise, an Executive Order must not overide an existing Act.
According to them, it is only the people, who do not like the Act misinform the president to issue Executive Order to override an existing Act.
They also agreed that the job of the Customs was to stop contraband from entering Nigeria, and “not embacking on duties they were not trained to do.”
“Other agencies that are supposed to be at the ports are chased away by NCS,” one of the lawmakers said.
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