By Chinonye Anyatonwu
The Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Special Taskforce has accused some officials of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) of aiding some importers to bring in substandard products into the country and also the concealment of some products in the guise of bringing in completely knocked down (CKD) consignments.
The IMAN Taskforce team alongside officers of the Nigeria Police Force, through intelligence gathered had visited an Indian company, QASA and Qlink on allegations of improper importations,
The IMAN Special Taskforce National Coordinator, Obinna Micheal told our Correspondent that his team had received several allegations of fraudulent activities including concealments, under payment and economic sabotage being carried out by this company and they in collaboration with the police went to their warehouse for them to clear their name, but this gesture they refused.
He said that on visiting their warehouse the police had demanded for their Import clearance papers, but that they were unable to provide it, as such some of their products were taken as exhibit samples, pending when they produce their import documents to clear from the police.
But, in a swift turn of event, the company officials, rather than provide evidence of their import documentations storm the IMAN Taskforce office with four officials of SON, who claimed that the company has been duly cleared by them.
The IMAN Special Taskforce National Coordinator said. “This afternoon a team of SON Officials led by one Engr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu , Chukwunonso and two others who claimed that director general of SON sent them to come to our office to clear the two companies of being a genuine importer. That all their necessary documents used to import the products are correct and well cleared through Customs and SON”.
The team of SON said that their office are located at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
“The Indian man that own the Qasa Company said earlier to us that they use to pay 300k every month to this team led by Engr. Ikechukwu”, the source alleges.
Efforts to confirm the incident from Engr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu and other SON officials on the matter was unsuccessful, as he could not pick his calls though promised to call back later.
