As part of the celebration of the 2nd National Day of Certification, the National Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control (ANM) organized on Wednesday october 18, 2018, a talk show on the national television, on the theme: '' Certification: putting trust in the consumer '', under the auspices of the Benin Ministry of Trade and Industry and with the support of the West Africa Quality System Programme (WAQSP).

Five (05) quality actors participated in this broadcast. They are Mr. Loukoumanou Osséni, Director General of the ANM, Youssouf Mama Sika, National Technical Coordinator of the WAQSP, Célestin Messenon, representing the oil company of Benin (SHB), Charles Malomon, representing the cement company of Benin (SCB) and Ernest Gbaguidi, president of the Benin Health and Consumer Survival Association.

Mr. Loukoumanou Osséni said that the objective of the talk show is to shed light on the notion of certification and especially to draw the attention of consumers on the need to choose and consume certified and quality products. He reminded that certification is not mandatory, but any company can make the obligation to go for certification in a competitive environment. According to Mr. Mama Sika, the company that seeks trust, security and therefore quality must go to certification. "This certification is issued by a third party, namely the certification body that has the authority to say that a company is certified," he said. In the opinion of the Director General of the ANM, this is a long process that is gradually being put in place and in which the company that wants to go to certification commits itself. For the consumers’ representative, Mr. Ernest Gbaguidi, certification is recognition in terms of standards and compliance with a number of requirements for the company that goes to certification. The representatives of the invited companies insisted on the reasons which justify today their will to go to the certification. "To the oil company of Benin (SHB), the size of our business, the high consumption products that we serve to consumers, the stiff competition of the local market with the presence of imported oils and the desire to penetrate other markets require us to go for certification ", explained Mr. Messenon. He also deplored the fact that consumers do not always see quality as a criterion for choosing products, although they are aware of it. "They are first interested in the price while the quality has a cost", he said. For his colleague from the cement company of Benin (SCB), a company that is already more than 50 years old, the move towards certification is the culmination of a long process started by the company. "For all these years, we have worked to improve the image of the company, to improve the quality of our productions. So, in fact, we are already in the quality approach and the desire to go to the certification comes to complete this commitment of our company to remain leader", said Mr. Malomon. For the transparency surrounding the certification, Youssouf Mama Sika said that the certification body must be driven by two (02) values: "impartiality" and "independence". "These cardinal principles attest to the authenticity and reliability of the evaluation that will lead to certification", he added. As an exhortation, Mr. Gbaguidi said: "We must now focus on awareness to get the consumer out of ignorance in terms of choice of consumer products." He invited the companies that follow in their footsteps to go towards certification. Same call on the side of the Director of the ANM who invites consumers to take products they have control of traceability and quality. For Mr. Mama Sika, a certified product must cost more and consumers must incorporate it into their budget.

For the celebration of the 2nd National Certification Day, scheduled for October 17-19, 2018 in Cotonou, communications, live debates and exhibitions will be held at Azalaï Hotel.