NIGERIA – The Standards Organization of Nigeria, (SON) has donated a 10 kilo-volt-amperes (KVA) generator to Zia Spices, 1st prize winner of the MSME Clinics Award, in a bid to support Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Zia Spices is a registered company with corporate affairs commission (CAC) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) specialized in the production of special curry powder.

The SON Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim,  restated the organization’s commitment to encouraging, building and guiding local producers of goods and services on quality assurance and quality control.

The DG also commended the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo for the initiative of the MSMEs Clinics, an initiative to strengthen the MSMEs in the country through government agency’s interventions and also the award for best MSMEs, stating it is a good reward and recognition system for our teeming small-scale manufacturers growth.

 The DG recalled that at the award ceremony earlier in the year, he was personally elated seeing Hajiya Zainab Ismaila the Managing Director Zia Spices receiving her award and prize money especially from that part of the country, positioning her as an industrious woman who has done well to achieve the award. Salim further encouraged her as an employer of labor, to see herself as a role model to other women by sharing her experiences with the female folk in the North East and Nigeria as a whole.

The DG also revealed that SON is currently building capacity for Halal standards, stating that products tested, measured and certified with Halal standards by SON, will help scale up products for export to countries recognizing the standards, and help to improve the Nigerian economy immensely.

 In her response, the MD of Zia Spices expressed gratitude to SON and Gombe state office for their support and guidance on standards, quality assurance and good manufacturing practices (GMP), encouragement, that helped her to emerge a winner amongst other entrepreneurs.

She also thanked SON for the donation of a 10 KVA generator, as it will go a long way in solving power problems in her small-scale productions, promising to continue to adhere to standards and being an ambassador of SON.

 The Regional Coordinator North East Adamu Abba Bauchi in his remarks commended the DG for his support to the regional office, he also extolled the Gombe State Coordinator for the support given to the MSMEs in the state especially the award winner, Zia Spices.

 The State Coordinator, James Yakzum stated that out of the numerous entrepreneurs approached by the office, Zia spices followed all the procedures given by SON on quality assurance and quality control, hence their achievement of the MSMEs Clinic Award.

 The Ag. Director Operations Mr. Yakubu Dauda applauded the award winner for her tenacity in complying to standards that has bought her this worthy reward encouraging her to keep on. He informed that the operations department will continue to back state offices towards enhancing local productions.

The Head SMEs desk, Mrs. Phebean Arumemi in her remarks commended Zia Spices for emerging victorious stating that SON which sits as the secretary of the award committee is very stringent and transparent. She further disclosed that the SME’s desk is available to attend to the challenges experienced by local manufacturers through the state offices nationwide.

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