SON Inaugurates Standard Clubs in Osun Schools
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria( SON), recently inaugurated standards clubs in primary and secondary schools in Osun state, in an effort aimed at ensuring that standards and quality control issues becomes household names and affair across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Governor Aregbesola commended the efforts of SON in standards elaborations and enforcement, noting that the agency has created appropriate and adequate public awareness on issues of standards and quality.
Aregbesola who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Mr Wasiu Omotunde-Young, said SON has exposed the average Nigerian on the benefits of adopting standards in everyday life and thanked the organisation for the catch-them-young initiative which would help to safeguard lives and property.
According to him, “the event marked another milestone in the history of Osun state where students would be exposed to standards in all sense of the word. Programmes like this could be a major turning point especially as it related to career and awareness.
He said quality assurance as it is being pursued by SON was also another initiative in spelling out excellence, justice, equity as well as standards which ensures that whatever product bought is value for money spent, adding that the inauguration of the clubs would inculcate quality assurance in the minds of the youths at tender ages.
“We want to commend SON and its management for making the event a reality despite all challenges. SON is an organisation under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with statutory functions to ensure compliance with standards,” he said
Aregbesola advised the students to channel their energies rightly and be conscious of their role in safeguarding their own lives and those of others, while alluding to the great potentials of the youths which he said, needed to be channeled appropriately, in their own interest and the larger society.
Earlier in his remarks, the DirectorGeneral of the organisation, Mr Osita Aboloma, advised Nigerian youths to shun greed and other unhealthy practices as the authentic leaders of tomorrow.
He urged them to identify with the noble crusade of sensitising Nigerians against the patronage of substandard products in view of the dangers to lives and property as well as the negative implications for the economy.
Aboloma said the message of standardisation is one that every Nigerian, irrespective of age should embrace given its obvious advantages in providing jobs, value for money, promoting competitiveness and increased capacity utilisation, among other benefits.
He advised the students to imbibe the values of honesty and patriotism, and shun greed in their endeavours as the leaders of tomorrow.
The SON boss who was represented by a Director in the organisation, Mr. Oluremi Ayeni, said the standards club were aimed at helping to inculcating quality culture in future leaders of the country.
“Standards club in primary and secondary schools would create a great army that would propagate the gospel of standardisation. Propagating standards ideals and principles in schools will help to create awareness about zero tolerance to substandard products in no small way,” he said.
The Director of Operations, Mr. Felix Nyado said when the principles of standardisation are applied and imprinted on the minds of the young ones, they would stick for life, adding that living according to acceptable societal norms and principles which it promotes, would create a healthier environment and economy.
He noted that developed and industrialised nations such as the Asian Tigers create awareness and consciousness of quality early in their young ones which further help to consolidate their gains on industrialization.
Nyado affirmed that standards clubs in schools was the best way to catch them young and raise advocates and vanguards of standards for the future.
“When this is achieved, the foundation for the much needed socio-economic change required to secure the future of Nigeria would have been laid by SON.”
The Commissioner, Ministry of Woman and Children Affairs, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa, lauded SON and all relevant stakeholders for this initiative in entrenching in children and youths, the culture of quality and standards in all commercial transactions.