SON introduces PAM to check substandard products

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has introduced another measure called Product Authentication Mark (PAM) to help bring to the barest minimum the influx and production of substandard goods into the Nigerian market.

This was disclosed by the Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma, at the stakeholders sensitisation workshop on reduction of substandard products for South-South Nigeria held in Calabar.

Represented by the South-South Regional Coordinator, Mr. Papanye Don Pedro, Osita said PAM would decimate cloning and faking of genuine products.

He said, “PAM will complement other measures already in place such as Nigerian Quality Mark (NIS), Nigerian Quality Awards (NGA), SONCAP, MANCAP, etc.”

He said the organisation’s battle against the menace of substandard products was a neverending one because those he described as “unscrupulous individuals” kept innovating when it came to manufacturing and importing substandard products.

“Substandard products harm our economy: they close genuine businesses and investments, cripple industries and lead to job losses. They also weaken competitive advantage,” he said.

The state Coordinator of SON, Emmanuel Ogbuji, said they would soon embark on aggressive clampdown on firms and premises indulging in substandard products.