SON DG, Farouk Salim makes outstanding achievements in 10 months

• Tasks Journalists on investigative, factual reportage
• Stop copy and paste Journalism – Salim tells reporters

(Report by Udeme Clement):

The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, has recorded outstanding achievements in enforcing standards on products coming into Nigeria and those manufactured locally, to protect consumers from killer products.

Salim, who took over the mantle of leadership as SON DG in September 26, 2020, just 10 months ago, has made Nigerians proud with spectacular achievements, which include; election of Nigeria into Standards Management Committee of African Organisation for
Standardisation (ARSO); approval of 213 new Nigeria industrial standards for stakeholders/industry use by SON Governing Council; re-eqipping the National METROLOGY Institute, Enugu to protect Nigerian roads; calibration of weigh bridges nationwide on Federal Government directives; construction of prototype SON regional/State laboratory and storage complex.

Other remarkable feats made by SON DG and his management team include; accreditation for three additional laboratories for testing paints, electrical cables and food micro nutrients;
launching of 38 approved Nigeria Industrial Standards for renewable energy in conjunction with NESP/GIZ/NEMSA and other stakeholders; mapping out a strategic plan to guide activities and programmes of SON from 2021 to 2024;
commissioning of ultra-modern State office/laboratory complex in Ado – Ekiti; relocation of SON State offices to more conducive accomodation in JIGAWA, KANO, SAGAMU;
relocation of State offices to SON permanent office/laboratory complexes in FCT, KWARA, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti States;
setting up of independent 5-Man committee to review and strengthen management practices in SON engagement with staff Unions; massive capacity building for SON staff to enhance efficiency in their operations; laying of foundation stone for construction of SON permanent office /laboratory and storage complex in Sokoto; signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Katsina State government on support for growth of Medium Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs).

These are not all.
Our Correspondent gathered that SON DG, who is a renowned Pharmacist, has made tremendous impact on standards enforcement, which led to seizure of over N600million worth of stuffed substandard tyres at a warehouse in Ogun State; seizure of two containers of stuffed imported used tyres in Port Harcourt; prosecution of standards infractions related to substandard lubricants,
electric cables and forgery of SON clearing documents; massive seizure of substandard gas cylinders across various locations in the country; standards/quality advocacy to State governments in Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Enugu, Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Osun, Kwara and Benue; among numerous achievements.

More so, the SON boss is also working assiduously to support government policy on ease of doing business, even as he ensures regular stakeholders’ engagements on the need to curtail influx of fake and substandard products into the country.

Addressing Journalists during a one-day workshop, organised for media practitioners in Lagos, Mallam Salim, tasked reporters on investigative Journalism and factual reportage.

His words: “Stop copy and paste Journalism on reports started by other people. Do your investigation, in order to get the facts and know the truth. Present your reports with facts and credible information. Always be objective in your reports. Tell the story exactly the way you see and don’t add colour to it.

“Partner with SON in the weighty task of ensuring that quality standards are met on goods manufactured in the country, to protect our economic environment.
Carry out diligent findings in doing your reports and where you discover substandard products alert SON for immediate intervention in the interest of consumers and the nation.

“No country survives with a quiet media. Copy and paste journalism does not help the society, rather it causes crisis in the system. We need a vibrant media that will constructively point out the ills in the society for them to be corrected promptly”.

Speaking further, Mallam Salim cautioned against escalating false reports capable of dehumanising individuals and posing a threat to national security. This, he said, could lead to break down of laws and order like what happened in Rwanda, when the country lost over 10 percent of its population to bloody three months civil war that would have been averted.

The SON helmsman advised Journalists to tread with caution in what they write, to keep the country peaceful, to avoid crisis capable of consuming Nigeria like what happened in Rwanda

L-R: Special Adviser to Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Emeka Duru; Director General, SON, Mallam Farouk Salim; Director, Standard Development Directorate, SON, Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu and Deputy Director/Head, Public Relations, SON, Mr. Bola Fashina, during SON capacity building workshop for journalists in Lagos