Reps lament SON’s failure to honour summon over seizures

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has frowned at the failure of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to appear before its members over the seizure of manufacturing machines and finished products belonging to D and K Golden City Investments Limited in Anambra State.

The committee’s investigation is to ascertain whether the seizure, and those that had been done in the past, followed laid down rules and regulations. In a petition to the House committee, read out by the lawmakers at their recent investigative hearing, D and K Golden City Investments Limited accused SON of refusing to comply with orders of the Federal High Court, Awka dated February 27, 2011 and December 8, 2014 to release the seized items.

According to Mr. Chike Onyeali, representative of D and K Golden City Investments Limited, the petition is in defence of alleged illegal activities of SON against manufacturing companies in the country.

Onyeali alleged that on December 21, 2016, SON officials invaded the company’s premises located at Kilometre 3 Onitsha-Owerri Road, Obosi, Anambra and carted away manufacturing machines, raw materials, 1,895 cartons of Dorco disposable shaving stick and 1, 520 Best Clean tooth brush.

Onyeali, who expressed worry that the products were carted away under the guise of being fake and substandard, said the seized products had quality certification on them.

SON based its action on the pretence that it is midwifing certification standard in Nigeria when in actual fact they lack the competence and expertise to run those test indices for which they sent us to Intertek Offshore, who are experts in parameter testing.“We have taken our products to Intertek, they have examined them, issued result and directly sent it to SON but SON overlooked it.

“But since they have declined to be here, we have closed our case and made a formal application that a subsisting order be made in our favour that they proceed forthwith to unseal the company premises which SON sealed since 2016 with over 200 employees,’’ Onyeali said.

Chairman of the committee, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta said it would close the case due to non-appearance of SON on the matter.“It is unfortunate that the SON will continue to impugn and disrespect the subsisting orders of the National Assembly.

This appears to be the ninth sitting on this matter and each time they have deliberately whittled down the supervisory indices of the House. This is very embarrassing and they cannot be taking the National Assembly for granted.“Since they have declined to be here, we have no option than to close the case and write our report to the House,’’ Nkem-Abonta said.