The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) has concluded arrangements to build its laboratory complex in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
The agency’s Director-General, Farouk Salim who disclosed this in Calabar, on Thursday, hinted that the laboratory would be cited at the Ayade Industrial Park, Calabar, which houses a cluster of industries built by the Professor Ben Ayade-led administration.
Salim who spoke while on an inspection tour of the Park, marvelled at the sheer size of the industrial park and the industries therein despite Cross River’s meagre federal allocation.
“It is amazing what has been done here by His Excellency and to think it was done despite Cross River being number 35 out of 36 in the country in terms of allocation.
“It’s amazing that with that little income the state has been able to harness and build such a facility. It is quite impressive and the most important thing about this facility is that locally, it is going to create many opportunities for people from farmers, to processors and to the off-takers who sell the products.
“It is a very interesting and a special approach by a state government which I have not seen such so far in the country,” the SON boss enthused.
He commended Governor Ben Ayade, describing him as a man of foresight and great ideas, saying, “it looks like there is more harmony between Cross River State and the Federal Government which is the most important thing because if there is harmony there is going to progress.
“The Federal Government has every reason to contribute to Cross River State because they are now part of the harmonious relationship with the federal government.”
He described the industrial park as “one of the choice areas in the state and it is a wonderful opportunity for our organisation to site our operations here,” expressing SON’s readiness to certify the products of the industrial park after passing through the certification process.
Responding, GovernoL Ayade thanked SON for the decision to cite its laboratory complex in Calabar, describing the move as a validation of his industrialisation policy and dividend of socketing to the central government.
“Coming here and feeling excited by what we have done so far, for me, is a vindication and basically a socio-political accreditation of my achievements. I want to thank him so much for the encouraging words, thank you for willingness and commitment.”
“But I think Cross Riverians should know at this point that our socketing into the centre by moving to the APC is beginning to yield far much more dividends at a speed I never imagined.
“Today we have SON here, not by any proxy but by the DG himself coming here, making a choice of a location to build a SON complex in Calabar and we have given them a place at our ultra-modern industrial park,” Ayade disclosed.
The governor expressed excitement at the opportunity that SON “is bringing to Cross River State and this would not have been possible if we didn’t have this socketing to the centre principle.
“I agree that the harmony existing between federal government and Cross River at this point is so strong and much better and Cross Riverians should expect to see more of this.”
The governor explained that his industrialisation drive was driven from anthropological perspective “to create jobs for our people.”
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