The Nation Newspaper

Tag: sub-standard

  • SON cautions on use of sub-standard products

    SON cautions on use of sub-standard products

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has cautioned Nigerians on the dangers of using fake products, warning that the risks associated with such unwise patronage far outweigh the benefits, if any.

    The organisation said it was carrying out sensitisation programmes across the country to educate stakeholders on the dangers inherent in the use of sub-standard products.

    SON Director-General Osita Aboloma stated these in Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State, during a general sensitisation workshop on substandard lubricants held in the city.

    Osita, represented by SON Regional Co-ordinator in the Southeast, Obi David, an engineer, said the regulatory body had before now carried out zero tolerance and total eradication sensitisation workshops for substandard products.

    He added that the agency has now decided to go for reduction in fake products all in a bid to achieve the same goal of reducing the circulation of fake goods in the country to the barest minimum.

    His words: “We’ve carried out zero tolerance for sub-standard goods; we’ve done total eradication and we are now speaking of reduction. There is no country in the world that can boost of total eradication of substandard products.

    “What we are saying now is that we want to reduce it to extreme minimum and if we can get that it will be a very big achievement. We want to start from somewhere; if we can achieve reduction, it will be as good as eradication.”

    Osita, who said SON’s sensitisation programmes were not limited to oil, but to other products, however, informed that the organisation limited the Aba programme to lubricants because of its effect on the economy and the people.

    “The use of lubricants touches on all vehicles, industrial machines of various types, hydraulic systems, electric transformers and other things. It is obvious that most of our daily activities depend directly or indirectly on use of lubricants and it is, therefore, necessary that every stakeholder be aware of good and substandard lubricant,” he said.

    Earlier in an interview, Obi said Abia was where SON was having much problem in the Southeast because manufacturers there were not organised as those in Anambra, Imo and Enugu states. He expressed hope that with such sensitisation programmes, they will overcome the challenges.

  • SON to shut sub-standard LPG storage tanks

    SON to shut sub-standard LPG storage tanks

    The Standards Organiastion of Nigeria (SON) has warned owners of uncertified Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tanks across the country to get the standardisation and certification of the facilities or have them shut down.

    SON has in view of the warning, given a two-week ultimatum to all owners of such LPG storage tanks nationwide to begin the process of SON certification or have the tanks dismantled.

    A statement from the office of SON Director-General, Mr. Osita Aboloma in Abuja, stated that the organisation has since observed and is worried by the sharp rise in the installation of LPG storage tanks in petrol filling stations across the country, many of which could not provide evidence of SON certifications of the vessels.

    The SON chief has, therefore, directed all officers of the organisation to intensify the surveillance of all installed LPG storage tanks in their areas of coverage to ascertain those that have undergone SON certifications before installation as required by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) regulation.

    Aboloma stated that all imported and locally fabricated LPG storage tanks are required to undergo SON certification to assure conformity to the requirements of Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) 419:2000, specification and testing of unfired pressure vessels for the storage of liquefied petroleum gas. These according to him, include safety and performance requirements.

    According to the SON chief, locally manufactured vessels are required to undergo certification under the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), while imported vessels are required to undergo the offshore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certification.

    He appealed to the public to be vigilant and report any installation of LPG storage tanks in their vicinity to the nearest SON office for verification of compliance to standards requirement in the interest of public safety.

  • SON seals N5b sub-standard tyres warehouse in Lagos

    SON seals N5b sub-standard tyres warehouse in Lagos

    •Two Chinese arrested

    Two Chinese are to be prosecuted for their involvement in the importation of fake and substandard tyres worth N5 billion into the country

    MessrsTaolung Shen and Xu Jing Yao were arrested and their company Sino Nigeria Import and Export Limited’s warehouse in Lagos sealed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    Director-General of SON Osita Aboloma, who showed reporters round the warehouse at Alakija area on Badagry Road in Lagos at the weekend, lamented that the importation of such tyres endangered the lives of millions of Nigerians.

    He said many of the over three million tyres brought into the country in over 60 containers, had post-dated manufacturing dates –some of them with March 2017 date on them.

    They also cloned different sizes of tyres under such brand names as Powertrac, Aptany, Harmony, Duraturn, Bearway, City Tour, Winda, Glory, Chachland, City Grand, Grandsonte (Tyre Type) and Sunny (for tricycle) among others.

    Many of the tyres arrived in Nigeria stuffed into one another. In some instances as many as five stuffed into one. Many are bent and ruptured and looking weak and slack.

    Aboloma described the tyres as “dead on arrival”, adding that allowing such consignments into the country could lead to motor accidents and loss of lives.

    He said stuffing tyres through the long sea journey from China to Lagos had already compromised the quality let alone the crude way the tyres were separated on arrival in Nigeria and the poor storage facility, without sufficient aeration in the warehouse.

    ”The SON Directorate of Compliance intercepted one of their trucks on the highway, tracked it and then this. You can see the amount of danger that these people are posing to our people and our economy just because they want to make huge profit at the expense of the lives of Nigerians”, Aboloma said.

    He lamented that the raid on the company revealed a lot of illicit activities, including re-labelling, high level of stuffing of tyres into one, tampering with expiry dates and staking the tyres in very adverse conditions.

    “it is a clear case of investing millions in illicit business in order to take away the lives of millions of Nigerians. to destroy the lives of millions of Nigerians. If we should allow something like this, it will amount to killing Nigerians”, Aboloma said.

    ”I want to reiterate that there is no hiding place for those who deal in substandard products as they will be caught and their products confiscated. Today’s is an example”, he said.

    ”Nothing can be recouped from such stuffed in tyres, no need to test anything because the tyres have already been destroyed on arrival,” he said.

    Aboloma promised to bring the Chinese and others in illicit trade to book.

    He said SON was exploring all avenues towards nipping acts like that in the bud.

    “For us, it is a continuous fight. Currently, we are prosecuting about five cases in different high courts in line with the mandate of the SON. We burn substandard products when there is need to, following laid down procedures.” he said.

    Aboloma cautioned users of automobile tyres on the need to be extra cautious when buying products.

    He said: “The nation’s laws must be made to work by ensuring that it is implemented to the letter.  l must reiterate here that the  full force of the SON Act that empowers  her to prosecute offenders will  be invoked on the perpetrators of this  economic crime  in no short time. It is left to imagine the number of lives that would have been lost to this wicked act by a few people”.

  • SON seals firms over ‘sub-standard’ products

    SON seals firms over ‘sub-standard’ products

    Determined to rid the country of fake and sub-standard goods which cause health hazards to Nigerians, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has raided some companies in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State suspected to be dealing in fake products. Three companies at Awada and Arondizogu streets in 3-3 GRA belonging to two different persons were sealed by the organisation.

    Eight persons were also arrested  during the raid.

    Among those arrested included a Chinese, Ming Tiandong and the owner of Bendusco Industries Limited, Mr. Benjamin Nwizu.

    At 3-3 GRA at Nkwelle-Ezunaka, four of the workers of the company, all girls, were arrested along with the security man and the company’s driver.

    The company was alleged to be involved in producing fake shaving sticks and razor blades known as Tip-Up and Tigger respectively. However, the owner of the firm ran away with his family.

    The companies’ products and machines were confiscated by SON, even as one of the vehicles of one of the companies was also confiscated.

    Addressing reporters after the operation at Nkwelle-Ezunaka, the Deputy Director Operations (SON), Suleman Isah, said the firms were sealed because they were producing sub-standard products, adding that that informed the combined operation.

    He said SON would prosecute the suspects after full investigations had been carried out, adding that the companies had been under the organisation’s surveillance for years.

    The Director of Operations, who led another group to Awada, Mr. Felix Nyado, said DSK Goldings City Investment Limited and Bendusco International Limited were producing fake tooth paste, brush and shaving sticks.

    He also accused the companies of producing sub-standard products in a filthy environment.

    But the owner of the two companies, who hid inside the ceiling before he was dragged down by the security operatives, claimed that SON had visited the place before the current operation.

    He expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the organisation, adding that he had earlier taken them to the Federal High Court in Awka where, according to him, the court ruled that they should go back to the status quo.

    Nwizu further claimed that he had reported SON to the National Assembly where, he said, SON was warned not to disturb his company again.

    But briefing reporters, Nyado denied Nwizu’s claims, saying that the companies had engaged in unwholesome acts.

  • Stakeholders task govt on sub-standard meters

    Nigeria is battling with low-quality meters because the Federal Government, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigerian Metering Management Agency(EMMC) and others have failed to formulate policies to regulate the importation of meters. Coupled with this, is the love of money by importers, stakeholders have said.

    The stakeholders include the  Secretary, Electricity Meters Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), Muhideen Ibrahim  and the Managing Director, MEMCOL Limited,  Mr Kola Balogun.

    According to them, there is no regulation to check importers of meters. The development is having grave consequence on the industry.

    Ibrhahim said sub-standard meters were installed in Abuja and other cities a few years ago, adding that the meters did not last.

    He said people buy sub-standard meters from China because they are cheap, without considering the interest of users of the meters.

    He said: ‘’ Sub-standard meters work for a while; may be three to four years.  Aside that the meters are of lower qrade, they are easily by-passed.When the meters are by-passed, the power distribution companies (DisCos) bear the brunt, by not generating enough revenue.

    ’’Balogun said the meters’ voltages are below global recommendation.

    ‘’While the voltage approved for meters in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries is 220 to 240, this could not be said of Nigeria where the voltage has dropped to 110 to 80. When companies import meters from developed countries, they do not bother to re-configure the voltage to meet the needs of users. Failure to do this means people who use such meters will not enjoy them,” he said.

    He said voltage flucturates in the country, stressing that there are problems when  voltage rises beyond normal level.

    Ibrahim urged the Federal Government to put in place measures  to domesticate imported metersand insitute policies that would improve  the growth of local manufacturers of meters.

  • Govt must establish courts to fight sub-standard products, says SON DG

    Govt must establish courts to fight sub-standard products, says SON DG

    The Director-General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, has said the fight against sub-standard and fake products in the country will be better tackled with the creation of a special high court that will try importers engaged in such activities.

    He said though the country has lots of laws meant to deal with those who bring in fake and sub-standard products, a special court will be of great help in the fight against fake products in the country.

    Speaking with reporters in Lagos, during a review meeting with International Accredited Firms (IAFs), the SON boss said: “We have enough laws to jail those importers, what I am also lobbying for now is to have a special court, a federal high court that will handle these cases expeditiously, because when people see that it is not going to take five years, but two months to get cases done with, they will have to think twice.”

    While revealing that SON is working with the Chinese government on how to reduce importation of fake products into the country, Odumodu said they are working on product liability and repatriation. He said: “In the last four years, SON has entered into agreement with the Chinese Government, which never happened but there is a renewed commitment coming from the Chinese government, but we need to see this in action.”

    He stressed that such agreement will actually help SON to clean up the market of fake products.

    “If I walk into a shop to get a product and it is substandard, it is the person who sold that product that has the liability and until we are able to trace the product to the original owner, the seller of that product will be in our custody. What we are also saying is that we are putting some responsibility on the retailers and wholesalers. We have told them to ask for documentation before buying a product because they need to protect themselves,” he said.

    Odumodu added that SON’s system going forward must be evidence-driven.

    “If you sell a product to someone and it does not work, you will pay. People should demand their rights. If you buy a product and it does not work, you must return the product and get your full value and if you do not get it, you have a right to respond. If you have a product in the market, it must be registered to enable us capture it into our database so that when the product fails to conform to standards, we will know where to trace it to,” he explained.

  • SON goes tough on makers of sub-standard products

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in line with its “Zero Tolerance to Substandard Products”, has seized  goods worth over N8.5 million in  EkitiState. The substandard products include electric cables, tyres, expired supermarket products, such as breakfast cereals, snacks, detergents, soaps, margarine and vegetable oil. These were also substandard LPG Cylinders. The market value of the products is conservatively put at N8.5million.

    A statement by the State Head of the organisation in Ekiti State,  Mr. RilwanAdebola Fashina, said the products destroyed fall within the category referred to as “Life Danger Products.”  On how they isolated the destroyed products, Fashina said the electric cables failed critical parameters in the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS), such as conductor resistance, elongation, tensile strength and diameter of insulation, as well as not having country of origin embossed on them for traceability.

    On the tyres, he said they were discovered to be all-used and mostly expired. The supermarket products expired well before the dates of the agency’s market survey between January and February and were still kept on the shelves for sale to unsuspecting consumers. Some were wrongly labelled with no country of origin, while others like vegetable oil were already leaking on the supermarket shelves. He said the LPG Cylinders were not carrying embossment of brand name, address of manufacturer and country of origin for traceability.

    The destruction exercise, he said, was a culmination of a rigorous process to ascertain the quality of each product. He said the sole objective was to improve lives through standards by protecting  consumers against the hazards associated with the distribution, purchase and use of substandard products, including loss of lives and properties as well as economic sabotage, among others.

    Fashina said: “We all at different times have lamented issues of building collapses due partly to poor quality of materials, wrong application and outright mischief by some property developers; fire outbreaks in houses and markets due to poor quality electric cables. Many road accidents due to poor quality tyres; deaths occasioned by food poisoning and such other sad incidents many of which are traceable to the marketing, sales and use of substandard and life danger products in our country.”

    Mr. Fashina said the destruction exercise was carried out in accordance with the procedure established by SON, which commenced with a market survey of the products in question. Others are the inventory and keeping on hold suspected products while sampling for laboratory tests and analysis to ascertain their conformity with the specifications/requirements of the relevant NIS and seizure/evacuation where the products are confirmed to be substandard.

    He urged members of the public to ensure that they have knowledge of products they intend to purchase for use/sale and seek guidance. He said: “We should endeavour to check manufacturing and expiry dates of products before we buy them. All products have life span and we must endeavour to know this even if they are new. Tyres for example, have the week and year of manufacture embossed on the side and have a life span of  four years even if unused.”

    Fashina urged the public to know that there is no standard for used item thus patronage of already used items (Tokunbo) is at the buyers risk. “It is important we purchase products from established outlets, request for receipts and keep them in case we have issues with the products and need to seek redress.  SON have Consumer Feedback Desks in all its offices nationwide where the public can lodge complaints for redress. To do this, you need to provide the receipt of purchase and make your complaint, addressed to the Director General or the Head of the SON office in your state in writing,” he advised.

    He also advised manufactures, importers and dealers to always confirm if the products have been tested before by requesting evidence of test certificates. Others are to check and confirm rated voltages, current, power etc of electrical products e.g. generators, AVR, sockets, check date of manufacture and expiry, best before dates and country of origin.

    He also advised that people should check that labelling and manuals are written in English Language, check whether a particular product has guarantee/warranty, claims of the manufacturer on performance of the product, and also be armed with the relevant product standards before purchasing or importing.

    The SON chief also encouraged local manufacturers to subscribe to SON’s Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to ensure that their products are certified to the minimum requirements of the relevant standard, are safe for use and give value for money to consumers.

  • NIWA seizes sub-standard life jackets in Lagos

    NIWA seizes sub-standard life jackets in Lagos

    The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has seized  more than 200 sub-standard life jackets from boat operators in the Lagos area.

    Its Head of the Marine Department  Mrs  Sarat Suleiman,  said the jackets were seized because they did not meet the approved standard.

    She said: “Our mandate is to make the state’s waterways safe for all travellers and this should be more paramount to every operator and passenger.

    “As part of our efforts to sanitise waterways and make it safe, we seized no fewer than 200 fake life jackets in a single raid last week. One of the ways of ensuring water safety is the use of standard life jackets and operators have option than to comply.’’

    On what will happen to the number of fake life jackets seized, the marine officer said NIWA  usually burnt worn-out and sub-standard jackets seized during its operations every Wednesday.

    She assured that the authority will sustain the crusade against sub-standard life jackets and  warned boat operators to provide standard jackets for passengers or risk more sanctions.

    NIWA’s Area Manager, Alhaji Muazu Sambo, said the government had donated standard life jackets to operators as part of efforts to enhance safety.

    He said the authority had commenced enforcement of laws regarding the safety of waterways, urging ferry operators and passengers to comply with safety requirements.