Alaba traders tasked on brands

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has advised the Alaba market Electronics Dealers Association to show confidence in their businesses and build brand that will stand rather than indulge in promoting other trademarks  that are mostly foreign.

The SON Director -General, Osita Aboloma  disclosed  this at a sensitization  workshop for the  traders at the market, he said it has become imperative to bring all stakeholders on-board in this fight against faking through continuous robust engagement.

In his paper themed,  “Promoting Self-regulation to eradicate substandard electronics from Nigerian markets,” the Director, Inspectorate, Compliance and Directorate, SON, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said the workshop is geared towards encouraging the electronics deears to look towards local production.

Faking lubricant brands

“We are also telling them that it is good for them to create their own brands instead of faking successful brands,” he said.

“One strategy we are applying today is to promote self regulation and a Joint task force has been formed to fight the influx of substandard products into the country.

Aboloma advised the dealers to register their brands with SON, saying that as far as their products were successful at the safety parameters and market requirements, their goods would be patronised.

“We are here to sensitise the traders to do the right thing by importing only products that comply with the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).

“From our experience, we have observed that most of them import substandard products where many of them fail market requirements in the sense that they bring in the goods unbranded with the intention of faking,” he added.

Also speaking, the Head, Ports and Borders, SON, Yahya Bukar said the  task of fighting the many fake and substandard goods in our markets is enermous.

He reiterated that the fact that SON is connected to the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS), it could only view documents on the platform, but could not examine containers easily except invited by the customs.

“We sometimes view a document, but the information of the document is different from what we have in the container, most of the times it is difficult to judge whether these goods meet our requirements since we do not have access to these containers and we cannot be able to verify the declaration,” he said.

“We also face another challenge where some clearing agents try to connive with the importers to circumvent the laws.

“We expect these clearing agents to be the ones to explain things better to these importers,” he added.

He stated that SON was already prepared for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), but stressed the need for SON to be strategically positioned at the ports for Nigeria to be competitive when the trade deal commences.

“We will have a lot of advantages to monitor the products that are coming in if we are strategically positioned, but if we cannot monitor, all other African countries will subdue Nigeria with their own products, but if we can monitor these products coming in, we will be able to curtail the influx of substandard goods,” he said.

in his address, the Executive Chairman, Alaba Electronics Dealers  Association, Mr. Paulinus Ugochukwu, commended SON for the sensitisation workshop, saying that his members had all started selling their own brands of electronics.

He, however, called on the federal government to provide basic infrastructural facilities to help drive the manufacturing sector of the economy.

“We already have a Joint Task Force of members of SON management and our members to ensure that substandard goods do not thrive in the nation’s market.

“Henceforth, anywhere they see substandard products they seize it,” he added.

He assured that the traders are determined like never before to fight fake and substandard goods as it’s an evil wind that blows no one any good.