Metrology institute vital for economic diversification – SON

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria says functional metrology institute is vital for economic diversification needed to improve the Nation’s economy. The Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma, stated this at the 2017 World Metrology Day in Enugu on Tuesday.

The event, which was organised by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria in collaboration with the Weights and Measures Department of Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had the theme: “Measurements for Transport”.

Aboloma said that functional metrology would support the accreditation of all products, especially export destined goods and services. “At present, metrology is still one of the fundamental factors enabling a successful modern and economic viability and a prosperous society”.

“This is what we must do in order to check disagreement in businesses, human activities as well as standard of life in general,” Aboloma said. He was represented by Engr. Mrs. Oluremi Ayeni, Director, Management Systems Certification in the agency.

On the theme, Aboloma said that every type of transport from bicycle to ship, from car to spacecraft, are required to meet appropriate standards as the basis for domestic and international regulation. He said that such policies could specify essentials for every aspect of performance like safety, economy and emissions.

“As demands for accessible and efficient transport increase, so also for measurements and standards to underpin them. Ultimately, some of the demands are met by new technologies like driverless cars and zero-emission vehicles consecutively generating new measurement challenges,” Aboloma said.

Delivering a lecture on “Measurements for Transport”, the SON Director of  Metrology and Instrumentation, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said that transport remained a vital determinant in business as well as production.

Manafa stressed on measurement in road, water, air, railway and pipeline modes of transportation. “Both the Holy Bible and Quran said that God is concerned about appropriate weights and measures.“The Holy books want people to apply appropriate weights and measures to avoid misunderstanding and cheating in business or human affairs,” he said.

The Director said that the NMI conference coming up later this year would focus on how Nigerian products would meet requisite measurement standards. He posited that with functional metrology, the issue of rejection of products from Nigeria by other countries would be a thing of the past.

A representative of the Weights and Measures Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Ejiofor, advised Nigerians to seek standard measures in all their transactions to establish integrity for their products or services.

Ejiofor called for the reintroduction of road weighing bridges as part of revenue generation for the Federal Government meant to fix or repair the roads at intervals.

Highlights of the event was the inspection of the ongoing construction of the National Metrology Institute (NMI) complex being facilitated by the Federal Government with support funding from the European Union through UNIDO.

The World Metrology Day is an annual celebration since the Meter Convention was signed by countries on May 20, 1875. Nigeria chose to celebrate the Day on May 23 because the actual date fell on a Saturday.

Source: ISO