SON grants manufacturers 25% reduction on charges

By Odunewu Segun

 The Standard Organisation of Nigeria said it has granted manufacturers in the country a 25 per cent reduction on all its administrative charges due to the prevailing circumstances in the economy.

President of MAN, Dr. frank Jacobs, stated this at the 2016 MAN media chat in Lagos. He said SON had also eased importation by issuing annual import permits to manufacturers while also exempting them from the mandatory SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) in respect of importation of spare parts, machinery, raw materials as well as packaging materials.

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Dr. Jacobs said MAN recorded remarkable success in its collaboration with the SON, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Government. He said there had been improvement in the implementation processes of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report in conjunction with the Nigeria Customs Service as MAN members have been profiled for special clearance and admission to the Fast-Track system.

He listed other achievements of the association as securing government’s position on a home-grown policy that promotes import substitution and patronage of made-in-Nigeria products. According to him, to strengthen this advocacy, the MAN in partnership with Spin intelligence will hold the maiden edition of Manufacturing Expo in March in Lagos.

Other achievements, according to the MAN president, is the partnership the association formed with strategic stakeholders on the maritime value chain to oppose the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note that would have further added to the cost profile of manufacturers.

He added that the association also partnered relevant agencies to establish the MAN Center for Entrepreneurial Development, an entrepreneurial academy for aspiring manufacturers.

“A Conflict Resolution Committee has also been set up, made up of the Nigeria Customs and the MAN officials to sort out and resolve any issue arising from the PAAR for those that had queries or were not satisfied with the valuation of their imports.”

Dr. Jacob said the NCS is also addressing the issue of high charges arising from arbitrary increase of the values of members’ imports.  “In fact, the Comptroller General of Customs ordered immediate release of members’ cargoes that were hitherto detained following our interventions,” he explained.