20th April, 2012
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has made a seizure of substandard electric cables worth over N450 million at the Alaba International Market, Lagos.
The Director General and Chief Executive of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, made this disclosure in Lagos, following a raid carried out by its enforcement officers in the Market.
This particular seizure is coming on the heels of a seizure made about two weeks ago of nine truckloads of substandard electric cables worth over N200 million in SON’s unrelenting march towards its zero tolerance for substandard products.
Odumodu said that as unscrupulous importers continue to bring into the country what Nigerians do not need, SON will continue to decimate their efforts.
He wondered why people continue to import substandard electric cables into the country to sell to unsuspecting Nigerians, aware of the dangers of buildings going up in flames and possible loss of lives posed by these substandard cables.
He said that SON did not know exactly how these products found their way into the country whether it was through the borders or through the ports.
Odumodu pointed out that an interesting fact about the particular substandard cables is that it had fake SONCAP certificates, he promised that as one of the new measures that will promote the zero tolerance for substandard products SON plans to introduce a new SONCAP regime in the next three months.
He said it is interesting to note that the agency is beginning to uncover more than it used to, since the commencement of going to the warehouses of importers. “We have also noticed that some warehouses are being relocated to more remote areas to avoid our inspections, “he said.
The Director General assured Nigerians that the agency cannot be eluded by those who specialise in the importation of substandard products no matter how hard they try. He advised importers to buy and import only those products that are suitably approved for safe use.
“This issue of substandard products is a Nigerian issue, not just mine or SON’s but everyone is involved. It is a very sorry story when you go over to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and discover that over 60 per cent of companies on their lists have closed down because of this menace.
“Those who bring in these substandard products are promoting unemployment and insecurity, which is indirectly fuelling terrorism. The more people speak up, the cleaner Nigeria will be for all of us,” he said.
He also stated that SON would soon be granted a hearing in the National Assembly which is an opportunity to ventilate the issue of sub-standardisation. He said some exporters when exposed always claim they did not know their products can kill.
—Henry Ojelu