The management of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has adopted the acquisition of the ISO 9001: 2015 QMS Certification as one of the projects initiated by the Dr. Latif D. Busari led management team.
The NSDC formally applied to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the application procedure was followed by official briefing by the Directorate of SON Training Services on the requirements/procedures for ISO 9001 certification in February 2018. Part of the requirements was that the entire Council staff would be trained.
The training programme was divided into three categories which are,
- The Implementation Course-it involved all staff of the Council
- Auditors’ Course-for staff who score 60% and above
- Lead Auditors’ Course- mainly for auditors who score 60% and above.
The Implementation Course was organised in 5 batches of not more than 20 staff and was held from Thursday to Saturday for 5 weeks. Batch 1 had management staff and a few senior staff who had theirs from 15th to 17th March, 2018. Thereafter, Batches 2-5 followed in subsequent weeks with a week break for Easter celebrations.
46 out of the 96 staff (48%) who participated in the Implementation Course scored 60% and above and qualified for the Auditors’ Training. 28 others scored above 50%.
The Management in its desire to be prudent approved the participation of only those officers who scored 69% in the Implementation Course for the Auditors’ Course. 20 officers (representing 21% of Council’s staff) achieved this benchmark and attended the Auditors’ Course held from Thursday 21st-Saturday, 23rd June 2018.
The outcome of the Auditors’ Course is being awaited.
