The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it has been directed by the Federal Government to ensure that weighbridges at the ports and loading bays are fully calibrated.
A statement by the organization on Monday stated that the move would facilitate the enforcement of the axle load limits necessary to prevent damage of Nigerian roads caused by overloading of cargoes.
President Muhammadu Buhari had signed the instrument of accession of the Supplementary Act on the harmonisation of standards and procedures for the control of dimensions, weights and axle load of heavy-duty goods transport vehicles.
He also signed treaty obligations within the West African sub-region and beyond to regulate the amount of load any goods vehicle can put on an axle and on the road in order to do business within ECOWAS and other regions.
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According to the statement, the instrument provides guidelines and penalties for enforcement of the new regime of axle load limits in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Director General, SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, said during the official ceremony and commencement of the caliberation exercise of the APM terminal weighbridges in Apapa ports that the agency would carry out the directive in line with international best practices.
Salim who was represented by the Director of National Metrology Institute (NMI), Bede Obayi, emphasised that the task given to the agency was to calibrate weighbridges for measurement of all cargoes.
“The caliberation will be effected on weighbridges to ascertain the axile load for heavy duty vehicles and food transporting vehicle that transport both wet and dry products across the country.
He reiterated that the Federal Government aimed preserve the roads from constant damage by overweight trucks, as well as given Nigerians the right quality products.
Salim said the calibration, which would be extended to other seaports and oil deports/terminals in the country, would help the government to get accurate weights of cargoes and also to check influx of substandard goods and services.
The Director-General explained that the calibration exercise was a country-wide exercise that was given to the NIM of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria as the custodians of the primary measurement standards of highest accuracy in Nigeria.
“Metrology is the science of measurements and can be used to check the influx of substandard goods and services in Nigeria,” he added.
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“An example of the implementation process is been carried other Africa countries to support the AfCFTA. SON is to ensure that these weighbridges give accurate measurements to the users.”
He said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approvals on roads construction and management gave credence to our calibration services to ensure that our roads were preserved and maintained for long-term uses.
“We are happy that this assignment is given to us. This shows that government appreciates our measuring roles. We want to assure all port stakeholders’ of accurate measurements and enjoin them to always declare accurately necessary information about their imports and exports,” Salim said.
The SON boss noted that the exercise would help the government to collect revenues.
He said that the SON management had sensitized all stakeholders on the benefits of weighbridge calibration and accurate declaration of cargo weights and would continue to educate and enlighten them.
