Stiffer penalties await fake product manufacturers, importers, SON warns

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is already working with the National Assembly to amend its Act to enable it to prosecute and sentence to jail producers of fake drugs and other products.

The existing act does not give the needed power to SON to prosecute and send culprits of fake drugs and products to jail, thus limiting the efficiency of the operation of the organisation.

“We are already working with NASS to amend the existing Act to increase penalties like jail terms to defaulters whose offences relate to lack of standardisation of products in the country,” Director-General of SON, Farouk Salim, said.

Salim disclosed this at the weekend while speaking on ‘The Role of Standardisation in Building Resilient Non-oil Sector’ at the Commerce and Industry Correspondents of Nigeria in Abuja.

Salim who was represented by a deputy director in the organisation, Mariam Samson, said the bill to amend SON Act when passed into law, will criminalise the production, manufacturing and distribution of substandard products that could endanger the lives of consumers.

He added that manufacturers and importers of fake products will not only get fined but will also go to jail.