The Federal Government through the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has established the agriculture and mineral resources International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certification laboratory in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly established lab is aimed at analyzing agro and mineral resources produced in accordance with international standards for exportation.

Mr Obassi Ettu, Deputy Director, Engineering Design, Development and Technical Assistant to the Director-General of the council, said the laboratory will curb the short-changing of exporters by other investors.

Ettu, who took newsmen on a tour of the newly constructed facility, added that it was part of the achievements of Prof. Hussain Ibrahim, the Director-General of the council.

He said the laboratory was part of RMRDC’s response to the nation’s requirements for quality infrastructure.

“Exporters can short-change themselves by exporting their materials raw, what you need is value addition and it can be done by knowing what is inside the raw materials.

“It is done when the laboratory provides you with a characterisation of what is contained in the raw materials and with it the raw materials’ value rises.

“For instance, lead zinc exporters who sell raw zinc are given anything because they need money.

“But after analysing the lead zinc, you would find silver, copper, lead and zinc leading to the value of the material.

“This would be listed out in the ISO certificate and an added value in the market”, he said.

Dr. Fortune Alabi, Assistant Director and Head, Pharmaceutical Materials Division, said the laboratory was ISO certified, hence whatever result it presented was accepted worldwide as a well certified analysis.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria