BORDER CLOSURE IS BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR NIGERIA GOVERNMENT, SAYS CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMISSION

The Chief Executive noted that Nigerians should be cautious of the reality that only quality products gives culture of excellence, stressing, “one of the reasons why our markets are flooded by 60% substandard materials is knowing that something is fake, and you still want to go for it, there is a need for the consumers to be more educated on this, and if we can do that, we will change the nation for good.”

“We need to inculcate the culture of quality, the greatest consequence for lacking of quality is people rejecting substandard goods, the most important thing is for the people to always demand for quality goods, it is important for Nigerians to be rejecting what is not of high.”

“The size of the production market for goods and services lacking quality is the size of the demand market, restricting demand aspect of it is primarily mostly that of demand and supply. The more educated the people are about their right, the better it is for them, we are taking the message to the grassroots, to the wide audience as important part of nation building.”

“Federal Government has been taking some steps so as to check importation of contraband products into the country, you can see that the borders have been closed, and the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs has said that the closure has assisted in restricting importation of contraband goods into the country. If the borders are opened again, there will be incredible demand for substandard products. We are working with consumers to know that substandard goods are a violation of their rights”.

The Oyo State Coordinator of Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Pious Lawan Manji, earlier in his remark noted that quality is critical and forms one of the pillars of a viable and sustainable system.

“To ensure the culture of quality is imbibed among manufacturers and service providers, there is a need to ensure stakeholder participation and support for standardization at regional and international levels, also, there is a need to encourage manufacturers, service providers, regulators and research institutions on the use of standards.

“With the present administration preaching diversification of the economy, integrating standardization in the national economy policy will ensure economic growth, most especially in the non-oil sector and will in turn promote the culture of quality among manufacturers and service providers”.