SON DESTROYS 7 CONTAINERS LOADS OF SUBSTANDARD PRODUCTS IN LAGOS

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has destroyed 7 Containers of substandard products including household electrical cables, children toys, expired cosmetics, LED lightings and other electrical products worth hundreds of millions of Naira.

Addressing Journalists and other Stakeholders at the Epe dump site where the destruction exercise took place, SON Director General, Osita Aboloma restated the resolve of SON under his watch to ensure that Nigerians are adequately protected through conformity to Standards and international best practices in the manufacture, importation, distribution and sales of goods and services in the Country.

The SON Director General stated that most of the substandard electrical goods were hidden from SON through false declarations and other economic sabotage activities of the importers and their cohorts at the Ports of entry.

The products according to Mr. Aboloma had all undergone full tests in SON laboratories to determine their quality characteristics in line with the relevant standards for each.

He emphasized the Presidential Executive Orders of Government for improved services to stakeholders and the Standard Operating Procedures already put in place to give effect to the realization of the Orders by SON.

Mr. Aboloma alluded to the robust collaboration between SON and the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies, stressing that one of the containers of substandard electrical cables scheduled for destruction was intercepted by the Customs and handed over to SON. “The cables have been tested and found to be substandard and life-endangering. Others handed over by the Customs were still undergoing necessary standards verification tests” he said.

According to him, arrangements have been made by SON to encourage compliant trade in the country and to ensure that non-complying goods are appropriately segregated for necessary action in line with the organisation’s mandate. “In keeping with this mandate, our Compliance Officers have been mandated to ensure 24Hour Surveillance activities to ensure that substandard products intentionally released for consumption do not get to unsuspecting Consumers in Nigeria”, he said.

He challenged importers and their agents to reciprocate government’s good gesture in facilitating trade and promoting the ease of doing business with honest and correct declarations in the clearance of goods at the sea ports, land and air borders.

The SON Director General then admonished Nigerians to embrace the culture of patriotism and compliance to relevant standards in order to assist SON to improve the lives of Nigerians through Standards. “Let every Nigerian be a quality vanguard. If you see something unwholesome, say something to SON and other agencies, he said.

Source: ISO