Business
THE Federal Government through the Weights and Measures Department, has set measures to ensure that Nigerian consumers get value for their money.
Dr Adesuyi Olajide, Director, Weights and Measures Department and Fellow of the Security Institute, said this at the department’s annual surveillance visit to Guinness Nigeria Plc, Ogba factory, on Monday in Lagos.
Olajide said the present administration was trying hard to ensure that consumers were not short-changed through surveillance measures.
“Government is concerned about the protection of all consumers so that nobody is short-changed,” he said.
He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was trying very hard to make sure that Nigeria becomes a manufacturing country.
“You can see that we do not have enough industries and this government is trying as much as possible to provide enabling environment so that we can attract significant investment into the country.
“By the time, all these things come to play; you will see that the cost of living will definitely come down.
“If we aspire to develop as a country, we must face what we are facing now, it is just the reality, and I believe the government is on top of the whole thing.
“With all the policies put in place, I want to believe that the cost of living will go down,” Olajide said.
Speaking on the visit, he said the department was on its annual surveillance to ensure accuracy, fairness and regulatory compliance to protect consumers.
“We are all here on our annual surveillance; the crucial role of surveillance is to ensure accuracy, fairness, regulatory compliance and protecting the consumers from having value for money they pay for the products produced by all these companies.
“We are not here to witch-hunt anybody. It just the statutory function of the department to go round once in a year and check all the industries and filling stations to see what they are doing.
“Surveillance is extremely crucial to us, just to ensure fairness, accuracy and regulatory compliance in terms of all the equipment used in weighing and measuring products to protect consumers,” he said.
Olajide reiterated that regulatory compliance was extremely important to the present government.
“Once companies play their part, the government is ready to play its own part, which is providing enabling environment for businesses to thrive,” he said.
On the level of satisfaction on the visit, the Director said that the equipment all fall within the acceptable requirement.
“I think I am satisfied with what I have seen. And this the aspiration of the present administration,” he said.
He said the department has officers on the ground in all the 36 states of the federation to regulate and monitor what the officers are doing on the field.
He, however, urged manufacturing companies to emulate Guinness Nigeria Plc in ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.
“We have checked their records and discovered that they are complaint in terms of regulation, they have not been found wanting.
“I really want to urge other companies to emulate them. They pay their dues and in the same time, they make sure they do not short-change consumers.
“When you say your product is 35cl, let it be 35cl, when you say it is 25cl, let it be 25cl, and this is what we have seen today in Guinness,” he said.
Responding, Mrs Rita Enwere, the Head, Governance Department, Guinness Nigeria Plc,
commended the department for the visit, stressing that a lot had been learnt with the visit.
Enwere, however, urged all regulators to be proactive for economic growth and development of the country.
“As Guinness Nigeria, we pride compliance. And we always try to establish a cordial relationship with our regulatory bodies.
“Key to compliance is knowing what to comply to. So, once that is clear, there is no way Guinness Nigeria will fall short of any compliance requirement. We even try to be proactive about our compliance,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the department was established to ensure that facilities measure and weigh products accurately, preventing Nigerians from being short-changed in the weights and measurements they pay for. (NAN)
A.I
Oct. 22, 2024
Tags: Dr Adesuyi Olajide President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
