FG to increase charges on legal metrology
The federal government has said statutory fees for increased legal metrology and payment for fines by defaulters of weights and measures will be increased to meet up with current realities. The minister of industry, trade and investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, during the inauguration of a committee to review the Weight and Measures Act, said regulations […]
Minister of Trade and Investment, Richard Adeniyi Adebayo
The federal government has said statutory fees for increased legal metrology and payment for fines by defaulters of weights and measures will be increased to meet up with current realities.
The minister of industry, trade and investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, during the inauguration of a committee to review the Weight and Measures Act, said regulations in the sector were obsolete due to lack of review of extant laws, thus the inefficiency in the sector.
Mr Adeniyi said, “The fees paid for services rendered by inspectors of weights and measures and fines paid by defaulters of the legal instruments and regulations of weights and measures are too low in the present circumstances and require a review.”
The minister noted that with the implementation of the Nigeria National Quality Policy (NNQP), the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) review of the sector would resort to the improvement of the quality of products and services manufactured or rendered in Nigeria to meet internationally accepted standards.
He said this would guarantee unlimited access of Nigeria-produced goods in the global markets and complement the National Trade Policy Strategy (NTPS).
He noted that, “In order to achieve the reasons for the review of the act, regulations and table of fees, the ministry has painstakingly selected individuals with varied competencies in law, administration, finance and legal metrology as members of the committee.”
He added that the committee was to review the current act and regulations and propose new legislation on any gap observed in the extant act, as well as review the fifth and eighth schedules of the act, to promote the ease of doing business and facilitate adaptation of business organisations in Nigeria to mono-lateral, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.