An expert has advocated for the adoption of a law for the regularization of the use of indigenous weights and measures in transactions especially agricultural produce and other items.
The call was made by Engr. Geoffrey Jwan, Assistant Director, Legal Metrology in the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry, in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
According to Jwan, “indigenous measures are those measures that are conceived and developed for local consumption while conventional measures are the ones that use the seven basic units of measurement like kilograms, seconds, meter, kelvin, etc” for transactions.
“For now, not all the states in the federation have adopted the use of indigenous measures. Once all the states do that, then you will begin to feel the impact of the regulatory work we do”.
On the punitive measures meted out to erring businesses, Engr. Jwan maintained that the ministry is fully empowered to sanction defaulters.
He said: “The ministry is well empowered to mete out punitive measures or sanction erring businesses.
“But the first thing we normally do is seal the business premises by issuing what we call ‘Notice of Rejection’ and a fine.
“And where we discovered that the sharp practice persists, we take legal action against such defaulters”, he explained.
“This enables the ministry to profile and keep records of how businesses conduct their activities, Jwan added”.
The Assistant Director said the ministry, particularly the Department of Weights and Measures have embarked on a Sensitization Workshop to acquaint Nigerians with the operations of the ministry, as well as, inform them on where to go to seek redress in the event that they are shortchanged especially occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
