Manji Lawan, SON’s ICD bows out, says agency’s challenges are surmountable

Manji Lawan, SON’s ICD bows out, says agency’s challenges are surmountable

By Uzor Odigbo

Manji Lawan, the immediate Director Inspectorate and Compliance Department (ICD) has retired on Thursday after serving the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for 33 years in various capacities.

Lawan who responded on behalf of his DG Chukwunonso Okereke in a chat with AMJON executives said it is with joy that he served Nigeria through SON with all his strength and the experience garnered was awesome and would live with him for a long time.

“I have enjoyed my work in SON for 33 years, I was 60 years on Thursday February 13th 2025, I thank God and my country for giving me such opportunity. I worked hard aside my primary assignment, I also undertook some self development programme which assisted in equipping me professionally both home and abroad”.

On SON’s challenges so far, Lawan singled out two challenges that had refused to go, namely, lack of staff and dearth of funds to carryout researches for effective job, but said the new DG will tackle it headlong.

The soft speaking light skinned man from Jo’s plateau State, noted that SON has the capability and strength to undertake tough assignments, but would require funds and enough man power to do its job.

“SON subvention is not huge, we spend close to N90 million to purchase reagents machines and we need many of them modern ones.”

He reiterated that 90% of work carried out by SON are under reported even as most of its workers constantly face death threat and are often killed which according to him is sad.

He tasked Journalists to assist the agency in reporting work done as without the SON in Nigerian space, many things will go wrong.