Steel manufacturers have been cautioned to calibrate the equipment used in the production of steel rods and reinforcement bars or face persecution.

The warning was contained in a statement by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Director-General, Mallam Farouk Salim, on Tuesday in Lagos.

He noted that it was no longer business as usual.

Salim stated that the agency was fully geared to ensure that all equipment used in measuring various parameters are calibrated in the country.

He revealed that SON had acquired the latest measuring instruments to ensure compliance to the standards of equipment used in the steel, maritime, oil and gas and other industries.

Salim said that all weighbridges, universal textile machines, among others, must be calibrated to achieve equity in business, while also ensuring that products do not fall short of the requirements of the standards.

“This way, consumers will get value for their money; manufacturers will be happy because they are producing their products to meet the requirements of SON.

“This means Nigerians will be happy to use the products to build structures that will stand the test of time to stem the incidences of collapsed buildings and build the economy of this country,” he said.

Also, Mr Bede Obayi, Director, National Metrology Institute (NMI), said that the institute was committed to ensuring the highest accuracy standard of measurement in Nigeria.

This, he explained, were in areas of mass and related quantities such as pressure, volume, temperature, metrology in chemistry, electrical measurements, dimensions, lengths and all the other parameters that can help Nigeria achieve economic development.

“SON is proud to equip the NMI to serve Nigerians in the areas of measurements and this is why the federal government has directed that all weighbridges that are on the highways of Nigeria, at the ports, sea ports and all the other entry points in Nigeria are properly calibrated.

“This is alongside those that are used in steel factories, cement factories and all the other products where measurements are carried out, be it in pressure, mass and all the other parameters.

“SON has the capacity to carry out proper measurements that are traceable to the highest level of accuracy standards that are presently in stock at the NMI,” he added.

Obayi revealed that the NMI had procured some calibration equipment on pressure and temperature, and embarked on awareness and sensitization on the activities and importance of calibration, particularly in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“Africa is the continent for the future and we need not be reminded that Nigeria has been the hope of this Africa.

“This terrain, especially in infrastructural development, has become an open space now and regrettably in metrology development, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia, Ghana etc. are leading Nigeria by a margin.

“Time is no longer on the side of the country to put in place credible and reliable metrology infrastructure to make Nigeria take its rightful place in Africa and contribute to the well being and respect of its people, especially in the AfCFTA,” he said.