SON destroys substandard tyres and gas cylinders worth over #300 million.
By Chinonye Anyatonwu.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has confiscated and destroyed containers of tyres and
substandard gas cylinders worth over three hundred million (N300million) Naira .
Addressing press men at SON’s warehouse at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim,said the tyres came in 2 40ft containers and were already compromised because they were stuffed into one another to avoid the payment of accurate duty to the federal Government by compressing the entire consignment into 2 40ft containers , thereby rendering them unusable.
The destruction of the fake products was supervised by the SON DG, along with the Director, Inspector /Compliance Director, Engr. Obiora Manafa and other officers of Standard Organization of Nigeria.
According to Salim, he said the seized items failed to meet the minimum requirements of Nigeria Industrial Standard(NIS).
He explained that this tyres causes road accidents, because there is no way you would stuff tyres to remain the same way it was made, human lives are involved here and it is a double edged sword, if you allow this to enter the market then people will eventually get into accident.
Also destroyed were substandard gas cylinders of different shapes and sizes, estimated to be worth over N300m meant for the Nigerian market.
These cylinders were perforated and destroyed by SON operatives at the Amuwo Odofin site.
Responding to questions on how why standards Organization is operating outside the ports, the DG said, that “85% of goods coming into Nigeria comes through Lagos ports and this is where the work is, then, if you ask us to work from outside the ports, then, you are risking the lives of our personnel”
According to the DG, the agency is working tirelessly to curtail the influx of fake and substandard goods to the country.
On the commencement of the African trade agreement, AfCFTA, Salim says, ” we are ready, we have our standards, which is Africa’s standards and that is international standards. “
Engr. Manafa remarked that the agency is intensifying its sensitization programmes to enlighten the public on the health hazards of substandard goods.
