Ogun state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and the Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr.
Osita Anthony Aboloma have called for stiff er punishment for manufacturers, importers and distrisbutors of substandard products in Nigeria.
Th ey demanded that dealers of substandard products should be treated as criminals.
Besides, the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr.
Frank Udemba Jacobs disclosed that the manufacturing sector loses over N1trillion annually “to marketing and assembly of substandard electrical and electronic products.
” Th ey spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital, at a Seminar organised by the state offi ce of SON, to sensitise members of the public on the dangers of buying substandard products.
Th e programme was themed “Eff ects of Substandard Electrical/Electronic Products to Life and Economy and Sustainability Strategies of Marketing Electrical/ Electronic Products and Getting the Best of Alternative Energy.
” Amosun who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru stressed the need for the enactment of laws to deal with dealers of substandard products.
Th is, according to him, would go a long way in reducing the infl ux of substandard products in the country.
“Th e resultant eff ect of patronising and using these fake products is unquantifi able.
Most importantly is loss of lives, properties and tax revenue to the government”, Amosun said.
“Th ere is no diff erence between those responsible for the infl ux of these substandard products and criminals such as armed robbers and kidnappers.
It is a very criminal off ence that should be treated with maximum punishment.
” In his speech, Aboloma disclosed that 80 percent of products imported into the country is “either fake, substandard, unauthorised or illegal, stressing that Nigeria loses trillions of naira in tax, revenue and investment to the unfortunate act.
” Th e DG who was represented by SON’s Director of Operations, Mr.
Felix Teddy Nyado disclosed that SON would soon deploy a new technology to detect substandard electrical and electronic products, saying this technology would also help consumers to identify these products.
He warned dealers of substandard products to desist and also urged consumers to always insist on standard products, saying “SON is declaring a zero tolerant to the activities of dealers of substandard products.
