The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has announced the commencement of the National Register for Conformity Assessment Practitioners (NRCAP) exercise, aimed at registering consultants and practitioners involved in conformity assessment.
The initiative seeks to ensure the sustenance of continuity in all sectors of the economy while upholding global standards in certification.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, while addressing stakeholders during an engagement forum, stated that the absence of regulations in the activities of practitioners had adversely affected the industry and the country at large.
Salim also explained that the registration process would establish a directory of verified and registered Conformity Assessment Practitioners in Nigeria for laboratories, management system consultants, training service providers, certification bodies, inspection bodies, inspectors, auditors, and assessors.
The lack of registration, according to Salim, had resulted in the poor protection of genuine practitioners from the negative impacts of unhealthy competition by quacks and poor visibility and recognition of genuine practitioners.
Furthermore, it had led to unsuspecting customers patronizing quacks who deliver poor service, thereby resulting in poor value for money.
He added that the absence of an official register of competent practitioners had also impeded national planning and coordination of economic activities that border on standardisation and quality assurance.
The Chief Consultant for Top Three Concept Nigeria Limited, Bode Oke, pledged support for the DG of SON, stating that the registration of practitioners would eliminate the activities of quacks.
Similarly, the Quality Management System practitioner, Mrs. Patricia Solarin, commended the initiative, stating that registering auditors would cut down on quack practitioners who were operating without passing their audit test and extermination.
She further stated that with the registration, people would not be shortchanged, and standardisation in Nigeria would soar to greater heights.
