The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON)

  • SON impounds adulterated sugar, milk worth N14m in Kano

    THE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has impounded various adulterated items, such as sugar, milk and fertiliser worth over N14 million in markets in the ancient city of Kano.

    Director General, SON, Mr Osita Anthony Aboloma, made this known yesterday at a general sensitisation of the agency market surveillance with business communities in the North-East and North-west zones.

    He said the seizure of the substandard products was carried out during a routine operation by a special surveillance squad.

    Abolomo, who expressed disgust over the prevalence of adulterated products in circulation, reminded that SON is currently prosecuting owners of the products and will not relent in ridding markets of fake products.

    Represented by the zonal head, northwest zonal office, Adamu Abba, Abolomo regretted that despite the agency’s close surveillance, local manufacturers and importers of fake products often bypass regulating agencies to perpetrate their nefarious acts.

    He explained that SON is banking on support of the business community and critical stakeholders across the country to check the influx of adulterated goods.

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    According to him, market surveillance is one of the most important and strategic consumer protection strategies of SON, aimed at controlling the influx of fake and substandard products into Nigeria markets at the expense of ignorant consumers.

    He maintained that SON has developed some technical machinery and structures aimed at apprehending and intercepting substandard and fake products in the society.

    He said: “this sensitisation programme is another step forward to enhancing effective market surveillance through cooperation of all concerned.”

  • SON confiscates fake products worth N300bn in 2017

    SON confiscates fake products worth N300bn in 2017

    Mr Ostia Aboloma, Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ), says the organisation confiscated fake and sub-standard products worth N300 billion across the country in 2017.

    Aboloma, who was represented by Mr Sunday Galadima, a director in the organisation, made this known on Wednesday while speaking at the opening of a One-Day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting in Yola.

    According to him, the issue of fake and sub-standard products  poses a grave danger to lives and economy of Nigeria.

    “We have confiscated fake and sub-standard products worth over N300 billion across the country in 2017.

    “The aim of this workshop is to educate stakeholders, both the public and private sectors, on the need to work together.

    “The work of standardisation  and quality assurance requires the involvement of all to ensure safety of  lives and economy of our country”, he said.

    Aboloma said that the organization had embarked on arraignment and trial of some suspects linked with the impounded goods in various  courts across the country.

    He noted that the organization has commenced the enforcement of its Act number 14  of 2015 to attain economic development .

    He also explained that the organization had commenced intensive patrol and search of counterfeiters across the country.

    He appealed to stakeholders to give the organization maximum support to ensure that only standard and quality products were allowed to be imported or produced in the country.

    In his remarks, Mr Adegoke Adetunji, Commander, FRSC ,Yola, warned the general public to avoid using spare tyres known as ‘Tokunbo’ saying ” most accidents being recorded were linked to bursted tyres”

    Adetunji said that the FRSC would give maximum support to SON to make Nigeria free of sub-standard tyres.

    NAN

  • SON impounds 560bags of sugar in Kebbi

    SON impounds 560bags of sugar in Kebbi

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ) has impounded a truck loaded with 560 bags of contraband sugar in Kebbi.

    The SON Coordinator in Kebbi, Alhaji Jibril Muhammad disclosed this in an interview in Birinin Kebbi on Monday.

    “We impounded a truck loaded with 560 bags of contraband sugar smuggled from Brazil through Kebbi State borders with Benin and Niger Republic”.

    “The seized products, 50kg each, had branded names of White Crystal Sugar Nardini Agro industrial and LTDA Industrial Brazillaira, with N15,000 Birnin-Kebbi market price each per bag, all worth N9.15 million,” he said.

    Muhammed said  half bag of the products were also seized by the SON during shops to shops searching at the Birnin-Kebbi central market, making total 610 and half bags of smuggled sugar seized within three days of its operations in the state.

    It was learnt that the illegal importation of the products violated SON Act 2015, Part VII, number 26(1-2), which recommended not less than three years imprisonment and fine of N2 million or both.

    He said that the products lack vitamin A, which flouted the prescription of the Federal Government that all food items must contain.

    “We have been directed by the Director-General of SON to impound any products imported to the country without permission of the agency,” he said.

    These items were smuggled into the country. We mounted our intelligence, markets surveillance among other techniques to track down the truck.

    “So far, the owner of the truck has been arrested; he is already with the police. Investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

    Muhammed explained that owners of shops where bags of imported sugar were found have signed documents with the agency, saying “whenever we need them, they would make themselves available.”

    He added that the mechanism would enable consumers to easily identify standard products in the market through the SON labels, saying that people should be conscious of commodities without SON approval, expire date And labels.

    “If you want to import, please come to SON for guideline and procedure”, he said.

    NAN

  • Man docked for theft of electrical cables

    Man docked for theft of electrical cables

    A 22-year-old man, Samuel Adedamola, on Thursday, appeared before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, accused of stealing electric cables worth N20,000.

    The accused, whose address is unknown, pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of stealing.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Akpan Ikem, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Sept. 8 at the office of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) at Seme.

    “The accused broke into the premises and stole some cable wires.

    “He was about escaping with them when he was caught by the security guard,” he said.

    Ikem said the offence committed contravened Section 285 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, Nigeria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence stipulates a three years jail term if found liable.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Jimoh Adefioye, however, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety in like sum and adjourned the case till Oct. 4 for mention.

  • Lassa fever: SON to sanction master bakers operating in unhygienic environment

    Lassa fever: SON to sanction master bakers operating in unhygienic environment

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it will henceforth sanction any master baker caught operating in an unhygienic environment following the outbreak of Lassa Fever in some states.

    Mr Sunday Badewole, the Osun State Coordinator of SON gave the warning at a seminar organised for members of the Association of Master Bakers and Confectionery of Nigeria on Friday in Osogbo.

    At the one-day seminar with theme: “Good Manufacturing Practice: A Must in Factories’’, Badewole said that exposing flour and other raw baking materials to rodents was unhygienic.

    According to him, exposing raw baking materials and final products to rodents and dirty environment will endanger the lives of many Nigerians who consume bread on a daily basis.

    The SON official said the research carried out by the organisation revealed that many master bakers operated in environment that did not meet the Nigeria Industrial Standards.

    “Preventing the spread of Lassa fever and maintaining clean factory environment is a collective effort and that is why we appeal to master bakers to keep their factory protected from rodents and pest.

    “They should ensure raw materials are of good quality and are stored in a good environment.’’

    Badewole said that the aim of the seminar was to educate master bakers on hygienic practices required in bread baking and improving their knowledge on good manufacturing practices.

    He stressed that the health of Nigerians was paramount to the organisation, adding that the SON would never compromise industrial standards.

    The SON official urged the master bakers to always check for expiry and production date, manufacturers’ address and the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) mark of quality on every raw baking material purchased.

    Badewole said that good ventilation, efficient waste disposal, hand-washing gadgets and providing standard operating procedures for all processes and equipment was necessary in factories.

    He urged the master bakers to ensure their products get SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) certificate.

    In his remarks, the Chairman, Osun Master Bakers Association, Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Onaopepo, commended SON for organising the seminar for his members.

    Onaopepo said that the seminar would go a long way in assisting members of the association in maintaining cleanliness in their various factories.

  • Customs generate N72m in six months in Borno

    Customs generate N72m in six months in Borno

    The Borno Command of the The Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday said it generated over N72 million as revenue, in spite of the security challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

    The Controller of the service in the state, Mr Joshua Angbalaga, who disclosed this in Maiduguri, said the amount was generated between January and June, exceeding the target of N62 million.

    Angbalaga explained that the figure was higher than the N25 million generated by the command in 2016 during the same period.

    He disclosed that the command had also seized 110 bags of rice, 110 jerry cans of cooking oil and hundreds of used tires.

    He said that the items were impounded by the command when some businessmen imported them into the country.

    The controller said the command would hand over the used tires to the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    “We recorded significant success in the past six months in spite of the security challenges.

    “Initially, we had 13 border posts, regrettably only two are functioning now due to the Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

    Angbalaga reiterated the command’s readiness to continue to discharge its duties effectively in spite of the challenges.

  • SON is committed to ridding Nigeria of used, expired tyres – official

    SON is committed to ridding Nigeria of used, expired tyres – official

    Mr Sunday Yashim, the Coordinator of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Kwara, says SON is determined to rid Nigeria of imported fairly used and expired tyres.

    Yashim made the commitment on Friday in Ilorin while speaking with newsmen after a raid on tyre shops where over 1, 000 tyres were confiscated.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the raid was led by the SON coordinator  and was accompanied by men and officers of the Nigeria Police, Civil Defence  and Federal Road Safety.

    The operation was carried out in Sabo Oke, Maraba, Ajase Ipo Road and Offa Garage areas of Ilorin where three shops were sealed.

    Yashim said SON embarked on the raid to rid the state of imported fairly used tyres.

    “We want to ensure that “tokunbo tyres’’ are no longer used by any commercial vehicle or any vehicle at all; by so doing our tyre industry will be revived,” he said.

    According to him, majority of accidents on Nigerian roads are caused by expired tyres brought into the country illegally.

    Yashim said that the risks associated with using expired tyres were many of which the common one was the loss of lives as a result of burst tyres on speed.

    He said the tyres were not made for Nigerian weather, adding that in Europe where the tyres came from, there were three to four seasons and each season had specified tyres for it.

    “In Europe, tyres are produced based on the seasons, for example winter tyres will be used only for winter season after which they will be removed from the vehicle.

    “Nigeria is in tropical region, tyres meant for winter in Europe cannot be used in tropical region like Nigeria.

    “It will not last long and it is dangerous as our temperature will increase its pressure and burst,” he said.

    Yashim said that it was due to the influx of fairly used tyres that the two major tyre manufacturers in Nigeria, Dunlop and Michelin, relocated to Ghana.

    “You can imagine the number of people that have lost their jobs as a result of the influx of used and expired tyres in the country,” he said.

    The SON coordinator said that Nigeria had lost billions of naira to Ghana in taxes which these two companies were paying.

  • Engage experts to reduce incidents of building collapse – NSE

    Engage experts to reduce incidents of building collapse – NSE

    Ebonyi chapter, has stressed the need to engage the services of qualified engineers in order to check the high incident of building collapse.

    Ebonyi NSE Chairman, Mr Friday Nweke, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abakaliki, said most of the buildings that collapsed after construction were handled by quacks.

    He said that engaging professionals would reduce to the barest minimum the high incidence of building collapse across the country.
    Nweke said that though the Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and other agencies are tackling the problem, the major solution lies in engaging experts from the onset.

    “The problem we have in this country is that people no long do the right thing; experts are not used, while quacks have taken over the jobs of trained engineers,’’ he noted.

    Nweke also condemned the current trend of converting bungalows to storey buildings, without taking into consideration the consequences.

    “The foundation for bungalow is different from that of a storey building, what people do is to break the wall and cast pillars which is not proper.’’

    Nweke also appealed to block industries owners to stick to standard, rather than mould excess block in order to make outrageous profit.

    He suggested that the media and regulatory agencies should enlighten the people on the need to do the right thing to check the increasing rate of building collapse in the country.

  • SON warns against purchase of goods without warranty

    SON warns against purchase of goods without warranty

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned consumers against the purchase of goods without a warranty card and receipt.

    The Osun State Coordinator of SON, Mr Sunday Badewole, gave the warning while addressing journalists on Thursday in Osogbo.

    “Any good without a warranty, we classify them as substandard.

    “A warranty means that a manufacturer or seller is giving his commitment to a particular product, that after sales he is still responsible for it for a certain period of time.

    “But if the warranty is not there, who will be responsible for the product if it developed any fault?

    “Warranty is a proof of quality and that is why we always encourage consumers to buy the product with a warranty,’’ Badewole said.

    The SON coordinator also urged consumers to always get a receipt for every good they purchase, saying this would help them to trace the address of the seller in case there was a problem.

    Badewole appealed to consumers not to buy goods in traffic, adding that such goods might be faked and without a traceable address.

    “Consumers should be mindful of where they buy their goods. Anywhere a receipt will not be given after purchase, is not a place to go.

    “Because when the problem comes consumers will not be able to trace them,’’ he said.

    Badewole said that the organisation would not relent in its quest to eradicate substandard goods in the Nigerian markets.

  • ‘Importation of substandard goods part of corruption’

    ‘Importation of substandard goods part of corruption’

    The Coordinator, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun, Mr Sunday Badewole, has described importation of substandard goods into Nigeria as an integral part of the corruption that should be tackled.

    Speaking in Osogbo, Osun State capital, Badewole described the importation of substandard goods as stealing with style, saying: “By importing substandard goods, it means you want to defraud the people, and when you defraud people of their money, it is part of corruption.

    “It is stealing with style, and it must be reduced to the barest minimum in our society.”

    Badewole decried the influx of substandard products through the nation’s porous borders.

    He said that SON would not relent on the enforcement of standards and standardisation of products in the markets.

    The coordinator said that the organisation would organise a public enlightenment workshop for importers and consumers on the need to avoid buying and selling fake products.

    Badewole said that the organisation was already collaborating with the state government on the formation of “Standards Club’’ in both primary and secondary schools in the state.

    The SON coordinator said that the club would be a forum to engage and educate youths on the ethics, values and virtues of standards in products.

    Badewole said that it would assist them as adults to know the danger of importing substandard goods.

    “The real change must begin with the young ones and that is why we are taking the campaign on standard and standardisation to schools.”