In the Nigeria of today, the oil and gas sector has made ISO certification a requriement to do business. Stake holders driving this process include the NCDB, Oil production majors and othe regulators. This requirement has created a demand for certification not previously seen before now. Expectedly, such demand generates interest of both the professionals in the field of practice and non professionl service providers. Dubious or unscrupulous service who award certifcates at a cost. The result is that fake certification companies and certificates are rampant, with India being the sole culprit for quick fix solutions. Corporations without structures or what is commonly described as briefcase contractors are big patrons of such practices. They believe in quick-fix solutions rather than paying the price systems implemenation demands.
I was rudely shocked when a staff member of a client told me that they had been recertified without going through an audit. He wasn’t happy about this because it had robbed them of the benefits of a systems check. Obviously, management accepted such an arrangement with a company based in Lagos because it is much more cost-effective.
There is no limit to what industry quacks will not attempt to undermine professionalism.
My advice to any company seeking certification is to ask for a traceable link to the certificate you will be issued before making payment to any certification body. Avoid shortcuts or you will spend twice or more than the price you are offered. There is also the issue of reputation damage to contend with when you are found out.
This issue in my opinion, will get out of hand if IAF refuses to sanitise the system. Once the credibility of certification is lost, patronage will drop and IAF and its intersyed parties will pay a price for refusing to act.
