SON impounds substandard electric cables in Kogi

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Thursday, raided and evacuated substandard and unsafe electrical cables from markets in Lokoja and its environs.

Mr Olalekan Omoniyi, the Kogi State Coordinator of SON, who led the operation on behalf of Mr Osita Aboloma, Director-General/Chief Executive, SON, said that the effort was to help arrest the distribution and sale of fake electrical products.

ALSO READ: Senator Lokpobiri rejects Bayelsa APC result

Aboloma said the sale and distribution of substandard products amounted to the violation of SON’s re-enacted Act 14 of 2015, as well as violation of product standards and safety requirements.

The director-general explained that the evacuated products were without manufacturers’ details, markings and country of origin on packaging.

According to him, others are the locally-manufactured electrical products without MANCAP certification mark; those with forged SON certification marks; and those confirmed to have failed laboratory analysis.

He said that products with wrong dimensions and short of stated length as well as products imported into Nigeria in violation of the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) Scheme, were also seized.

“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 can result in death, ’’ he said.

Aboloma said that the operation was carried out after intensive surveillance of electrical cable sales and distribution outlets in Lokoja and its environs.

He advised the public to take advantage of SON State Offices in all the state capitals.

The director-general noted that SON officials had been posted to the offices to handle enquiries and treat complaints arising from the purchase of products that failed to meet up with standards.