The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commenced the evacuation of suspected substandard and unsafe electrical cables from markets in Lokoja, Kogi state.
Speaking on Thursday in Lokoja, Director General/Chief Executive of SON, Barrister Osita Anthony Aboloma (Esq), said the products were being evacuated and impounded as the distribution and sales of such were in violation of SON’s re-enacted Act 14 of 2015, as well as violation of product standards and safety requirements.
Barrister Aboloma, represented by the SON Kogi State Coordinator, Engr. Olalekan Omoniyi, explained that categories of products being evacuated were those without manufacturer’s details, markings and/or country of origin on packaging and locally manufactured electrical products with no MANCAP certification mark.
Others, according to him, were products that try to fake and/or forge SON certification marks; products that have been confirmed to have failed laboratory analysis; products with wrong dimensions and short of stated length and products imported into Nigeria in violation of the SONCAP scheme, amongst others.
“SON is poised to prevent loss of any consumer’s life as a result of usage of any substandard product, thus the reason for embarking on the evacuation, and possible destruction of such products, before they can constitute any hazard which could result in death”, he said.
He said the operation commenced after an intensive surveillance of electrical cable sales and distribution outlets within Lokoja and other environs in Kogi state which do not comply with safety and other quality requirements.
He advised the public to take advantage of SON State Offices, located in all state capitals, as officials have been posted to handle inquiries and treat complaints arising from product not meeting requirements.
