In order to save Nigerians from the negative effect of substandard products as well as have value for the money spent in procuring products from the markets, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON has again taking further steps to checkmate the influx of substandard products into Nigeria Markets.
The Deputy Director Of Inspection and Compliance Department SON, Engineer Enebi Shauibu made the disclosure while interacting with the Time News Reporter and Nigerian Maritime TV in his office in Apapa-Lagos
Engineer Enebi said that his Organisation has adopted market surveillance method based on the public outcry of influx of substandard steel and other products in the market by importers.
He explained that cases of building collapse recorded so far in Nigeria also contributed to the adoption of the surveillance system which according to him has continued to yield positive result.
According to him, ”for steel products, that was handled by a special taskforce which I happened to be the chairman and due to public outcry of influx or dumping of substandard steel products in our markets and subsequently, the cases of collapsed building we have had and all that, so we has to put the local manufacturers under check.
”Fist, we carried our market surveillance and we found out that a lot of them had issues with the quality of products the are sending to the markets. Of course we call all of them to a meeting and we let them know how they were fairing and based on what is expected of SON to do, inline with ACT 14 of 2015.r
” With the approval of the DG, all those to be punished, were punished accordingly and corrective actions was taking. And one of those corrective actions taking for those caught in the act was that most of the quantity we found not okay. were taking back to the factory and charged back into the foundries under our strict supervision.”
The SON’s Deputy Director Inspection and Compliance however lamented that the absence of the agency from the port has continued pose a very big challenge to them hence these substandard products ought to have been effectively stopped from the port of entry.
Engineer Enebi commended the Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim who had shown serious commitment to fighting the war against importation and exportation of substandard products, adding that he had proposed to the federal government to approve the return of such products when caught back to the country of origin while money paid for the products retrieved back to the country.
On the issue of Product Identification Programe to enable consumers to check for quality assurance in a more sustainable way, the Compliance and Inspection Department Deputy Director said, ”that one is being discussed. So , you wait at the appropriate time, the public will be well informed about it
It would be recalled that the Director-General, SON, Malam Farouk Salim, had warned that it would no longer be business as usual, saying that the Agency will ensure that all equipment used in measuring various parameters of steel are calibrated in the country
Photo: Eng Enebi Shuaibu, Inspection and Compliance Department, SON.
