By Chinonye Anyatonwu
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has seized thousands of imported goods which include substandard Electric Cables, Engine OiL LPG, Gas Cylinders, Stuffed new Tyres, Substandard and unapproved Cigarettes and substandard low-grade Roofing Sheets.
While briefing the newsmen at the destruction ground in Lagos, Director General of SON, Farouk A. Salim, lamented the absence of SON at the ports, stating that the goods could have been intercepted on arrival at the ports if SON was stationed inside the ports.
Mallam Farouk stated that customs officers are only trained to collect revenue, and not to spot fake imported products.
According to him,
“I am unhappy that a few Nigerians sometimes in collusion with foreigners continue to endanger the lives and properties of our people in the quest to acquire wealth, thus affecting our Nation’s economy negatively.
“Slated products for destruction include substandard Electric Cables, Engine OiL LPG, Cylinders, Stuffed new Tyre, Substandard and unapproved Cigarettes and substandard low-grade Roofing Sheets worth billions of Naira.
“Most manufacturing companies in Nigeria boast of the best quality Electric Cables and Engine Oil, but some unscrupulous people continue to import and distribute low grade, substandard and life-threatening versions of these products in our markets.
Speaking further, “The dangers posed by these goods to the lives and properties of Nigerians, even if they are new, cannot be quantified. We will continue to say “no” to fake lubricants that knock motor and industrial engines which in turn lead to vehicle failures, leading to road mishaps and avoidable downtime in industries and consequential job losses. The engine oils seized were either faked in the names of puperior brands or concocted without the mandatory conformity assessment for quality assurance.
“SON in collaboration with relevant stakeholders have developed very stringent regulations for the production, importation and distribution of such products as LPG Cylinders, Cigarettes and automobile tyres, yet we still have unpatriotic Nigerians and their collaborators bombarding us with the worst versions of these products in the name of doing business. They will continue to have SON to contend with and we shall not relent in apprehending them wherever they may be hiding, seizing their products and destroying them.
“We have subjected them to a rigorous standard and perimeters tests in our laboratories which are enjoying global accreditations and they all failed. Therefore, they cannot be allowed to continue to be distributed.
