SON seizes N20m substandard automobile parts

Apparently not relenting on its efforts to reduce the influx of substandard goods in the country, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has seized substandard automobile spare part for heavy duty trucks and trailers worth over N20 million.

The recent move, according to the agency, is to safeguard the lives and properties of innocent Nigerians. Assistant Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate SON, ‎ Fred Akingbesote, during an enforcement exercise in search of substandard goods at the ASPAMDA market in Lagos, explained that the goods seized, which include rotor heads and other very vital spare parts for heavy duty vehicles, are responsible for the high rate of broken down vehicles on the nation’s highways thus leading to accidents.

According to him, “This importer has continued to import these fake rotors from China while the original ones are made in Poland.” ‎ He said the agency embarked on a similar exercise in April 2015, pointing out that the shops being locked belong to the same importer that the agency evacuated similar substandard products from some few months ago.

They have continued with this nefarious act despite all our enforcement. They have continued to import this fake automotive components and spare parts of heavy duty trucks and trailers.

The original components of these rotors are expected to last up to 24 months while these fake ones last just two months. Everything about these rotors looks the same with the original ones, but it took the eagle eye of our technical person to discover these products,” he said.

He noted that the pedestal on which SON is currently working with is a different platform, maintaining that the agency now has the same authority with other enforcement agencies to arrest, prosecute and detain defaulters. ‎ “We have a new Act. In the time past, we had to obtain a court order to carry out enforcement but now, we have been backed by law.

If you look at section 30 sub section 4, it gives us the authority like any other enforcement agency to arrest prosecute and detain as the case maybe.

To show that the importers of these rotors are not genuine, when we lock up their shops, they do not come back to claim their products,” he said. “We have seized a whole truck load worth over N20 million. These products are very expensive when they sell it and this why they are delving into it,” he said.

He stated that after subjecting these products to fatigue test and other mechanical test to check for the characteristics of the metal, the agency discovered that they are fake only to be polished to deceive innocent consumers. “With this our operation flush, we are winning and we will continue to win.

We will stop at nothing until we make sure that substandard products are out of the Nigerian market. Our new Act has given us leverage over their unscrupulous activities.

This particular man has always been on the run because he is guilty. “We have organised different seminars to enlighten people about the negative effects of substandard products.

We are not telling them not to make money but not at the expense of people’s lives and properties.‎ We have told them to come to us to enlighten themselves about quality import while also have their products registered.”