BY JOHNMARK UKOKO
Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, has declared support for local industries as the panacea for the many security and economic challenges facing the Nigeria.
Salim, who made the statement during a visit to the premises of the Africa Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) at Gujeni Kagarko Council of Kaduna State, stressed the need to protect local industries to guarantee the protection, safety, greatness and progress of the nation and it’s people.
He maintained that had been canvassing industrialisation and protection of lives as a constant message since he assumed duties last year to ensure that the country becomes greater, safer and more progressive, protected and respected.
According to him, Nigeria is blessed with enormous natural and human resources that need investments to harness the inherent benefits with the attendant multiplayer effects on individual, families, communities, businesses and the national economy.
“One of the reasons the nation is battling insecurity is lack of adequate protection of local industries, which has led to shutdown of companies, loss of jobs, income and increased criminal activities.
Gainful employment provides regular disposable income for the citizen’s wellbeing, payment of personal and company taxes, while employment leads to reduction of crime and criminality, reduction in banditry, terrorism, separatism and other social vices,” he stated.
Salim commended the African Industries, the parent company of African Natural Resources and Mines (ANRML), for believing in Nigeria and reinvesting in the country for over 50 years, thus contributing in no small measure to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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He described ANRML investment as one of the largest in the nation currently outside the oil and gas sector, stressing that their production of high quality products under his agency guidance will continue to enjoy local consumption and even export, thus attracting the much needed foreign exchange for the nation.
“It is, therefore, SON’s priority to make the Nigerian industry safe for workers and production of quality goods to meet the needs of the population and export to other markets in the West African sub-region with technical support and guidance,” he said.
Salim urged prospective investors to emulate ANRML to improve the lives of Nigerians while also enjoying high returns on their investment.
Responding, Group Managing Director African Industries, Alon Aupta, commended SON’s for its role in making Nigerian products globally competitive through its quality assurance activities that help to build consumer confidence for products certified by the organisation.
Aupta said the manufacturing group has been in operation in Nigeria for over 50 years, with diversified operations in steel, chemicals, commodities and power generation.
“Our company is synonymous with quality products that are certified under the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme, as well as international standard, which revealed that the company was the first in Nigeria to export steel products to international destination.
He stated further that with the abundance of iron ore in the country, the company decided to go for backward integration by setting up an integrated iron ore plant in the country, making ANRML Nigeria’s largest non-oil Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which would catalase the development of steel manufacturing as a whole.”
