The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it has finalized plans to eradicate of quacks involved in the management system practice in the country.
The Director-General of SON, Malam Farouk Salim made this known on Thursday at a one-day stakeholders’ engagement for the National Register for Conformity Assessment Practitioners (NRCAP) in Lagos.
Salim said the move is tend to put an end to unscrupulous individuals who usually shortchange companies and individuals.
The DG, who said the quacks lacked the required competency to operate in the management system space said that conformity assessment practice was central to the sustenance of commercial success and continuity in all sectors.
He said that management system practitioners were vital toward ensuring that practices carried out by the industries are in alignment with the international best practice in terms of the expectations of existing conformity assessment standards.
“It is in view of the importance of the authenticity and traceability of products and services to meet the requirements of relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards and other approved specifications that SON seeks to pursue the implementation of Part II, Section 4(d) and Part III, Section 5 of the SON Act No.14 of 2015”.
“Via the operation of the NRCAP scheme, in order to establish a directory of verified and registered Conformity Assessment Practitioners in Nigeria for all laboratories, management system consultants, Training Service Providers, Certification bodies, inspection bodies, inspectors, auditors and assessors.”
He said that lack of regulation of activities of the practitioners over the years had negatively impacted the industry and country significantly.
Salim listed other impacts including: “poor protection of genuine practitioners, unhealthy competition, poor visibility and recognition of genuine and competent practitioners capable of attracting patronage.
“Others are poor value for money for unsuspecting customers patronising quacks who deliver poor services.”
He also said that lack of official register of competent practitioners to aid national planning and coordination of economic activities that border on standardisation and quality assurance was also a challenge to the growth of the economy.
“This engagement is guided by the strategic collaboration/partnership that SON shares with various organisations over time, especially with the SON Management Systems Certification and Training Services Departments with which you interface through your customers, of which you are expected to bring to bear, your wealth of experience to this national call,” he said.
Salim said that the registration processes, including approved guidelines, expectations of benchmarking Conformity Assessment standards and interests while developing the documents, were taken into consideration to ensure that impartiality of the process was assured. He also said that adequate training was given to the practitioners to boost their service delivery.
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