SON commissions world-class laboratory in Ekiti. 

The agency stated that the new infrastructure marks another milestone in the country’s quest to build a new society free from substandard products  being imported or manufactured locally.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo said that the got a nod from the Federal Government over the agency’s renewed vigor in the fight against fake and substandard products in the country.

He said, “The construction and equipping of this edifice has in fact become a priority as we gradually and systematically march towards independence and self-reliance from oil to non-oil export for economic growth and development.

“Let me emphasise that no serious person will engage in manufacturing of any product without first checking for regulatory compliance standards,  Adebayo emphasized,

The Minister promised that SON will come hard on violators as the DG and management have assured the Federal Government of their resolve to tame the tide.

Adebayo assured Nigerians that SON will soon get rid of engine oil laced with sophisticated debris capable of destroying vehicle engine, fake LPG Cylinders, amongst others, from the society.

In his welcome address earlier at the occasion, the Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk stated that the commissioning of the Ekiti permanent office and lab was in line with the agency’s new found vigor in fighting fake and substandard products in the country.

Farouk expressed his delight over the official commissioning of the Office and Laboratory.Complex in the state, promising that SON is now more determined than ever to fight the menace.

He revealed that in few weeks of his taking over the mantle of leadership at SON, he said, “I was confronted with a high level of infrastructural deficit which has limited the organisations operations.

According to Farouk, SON is currently on the path of closing the infrastructural gaps identified with the wholesale completion of offices and /lab projects, arguing that the commissioning of such facilities is in line with the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) plan.

He expressed his appreciation to the Minister and his ministry for their laudable support as enshrined in the enabling Act No.14 of 2015 establishing SON.

“For me as the CEO, I am delighted to present a very strategic Federal Government project, a brand new purpose built office and laboratory complex to the Honourable Minister, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi and the Royal Fathers for support in realizing the project that  is for the benefit of the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians at large”

He posited that testing of products to relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) and International Standards by SON laboratories means products from Ekiti State and environs can compete favourably locally and through export at the international markets, especially with the ongoing implementation of the AfCTA agreement.

He promised that in the coming weeks and months, SON shall be commissioning new offices with laboratories and be going into strategic partnership with state governments to lay the foundation stones on landed properties across the nation.