SON confiscates over N2 billion Sub-standard spare parts

                                          Dr. Joseph Odumodu

                                         DG, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)

In furtherance of its on-going campaign against fake and sub-standard products across the country, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) during the week in Lagos clamped down on an automotive motor cycle spare parts firm allegedly owned by Asian nationals.

Leading the agency’s monitoring and enforcement team, Engr. Bede Obayi told newsmen after the raid that the operation was in line with the organisation’s ‘Operation flush” campaign against sub-standard goods circulating in any part of the country.

The level of sub-standard products in Nigerian markets has been put at about 45%. Disclosing this to pressmen during the raid at a warehouse filled with automotive spare parts ranging from tyres, tubes, clutch fibre, motorcycle chains, amongst others, owned and operated by Chinese and Indian nationals at Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, Head, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Engr. Bede Obayi who led the enforcement team stated that SON uncovered the warehouse in its on-going ‘operation flush’ operations aimed at removing sub-standard products from circulation in the country, adding that the products purportedly claimed as Made in China were actually repackaged in Orile-Iganmu, Lagos.

Our investigations reveal that the activities of some unscrupulous Chinese and Indian nationals have drastically affected local industries who have since closed shop as they could not compete with imported sub-standard products. Just recently, the Enforcement Team of SON confiscated over N200 million worth of sub-standard baby diapers from a Chinese firm, Ming Teag Trade and Investment Company Limited, based in Lagos.“It’s high time these people who do not mean well for the country were dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others”, concerned Nigerians declared.

It was discovered the products faked were under the brand names of two indigenous firms duly registered with SON.The varied products valued at N2billion Naira were brought in by one unregistered company, without a trace of registration of its products with SON. There was no evidence of the agency’s SONCAP certificate for all the motorcycle spare parts, tyres and tubes brought in by the company into Nigeria from 30th July 2014 to 25^th June 2015 when it was discovered by SON. Within the said period, the company had made 82 shipments of the consignments in 194 containers as monitored from the Nigerian Trade Hub single window, Obayi disclosed.

“From our NICIS record and information we have gathered, we have found out the products were brought in by one Ade Ori Nigeria Limited of 118, Willoughby Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos and there is no trace of registration of these products with SON. No evidence that the company obtained our relevant SONCAP certificates which are Nigeria-import requirements, that before you bring in products into this country, our Overseas technical partners must have tested these products and confirmed they are okay before shipping them in”. 

Berating the fraudsters, Engr. Obayi insisted, “we cannot allow it because Nigerians cannot be killed by Chinese here doing massive adulteration on Nigerian soil”, also it amounted to economic sabotage by foreigners. 

The SON top official said, “We saw a number of expired tyres and tubes that these people are selling to Nigerians. Tubes that have stayed over seven years, when you use them, the next thing you witness is tyres bursting on the highway and killing of all vehicle occupants. This is not acceptable to us;we cannot allow them”.

The owners of the warehouse were not available but an Indian (names withheld) was arrested and handed over to the police for further investigation while the products were evacuated to SON’s warehouse for further testing and eventual destruction and the warehouse sealed.

In a related development, SON has called on importers to register their products with the agency for proper identification and traceability so that when issues arise, the importer would be traced without any difficulty. 

Prospective customers are advised to make inquiries before making purchasing as well as check a product’s country of origin as any product without a country of origin remains suspicious.