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SON to tighten noose on importers of expired goods

By Femi Adekoya
31 May 2017   |   4:22 am
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commenced plans to intensify enforcement of its regulations against importers of sub-standard and expired products to the country...

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commenced plans to intensify enforcement of its regulations against importers of sub-standard and expired products to the country, following the latest discovery of stocked expired household consumables.

The agency noted that its discovery of two warehouses stocked with expired household consumables belonging to the same importer whose warehouse it impounded barely two months ago for the same offence is worrisome and emphasises the need to increase efforts at safeguarding lives and properties.

Indeed, the agency added that this move reflects the importance of effective collaborations between sister agencies and other regulatory agencies in the country, while also safeguarding lives and properties of innocent and unsuspecting Nigerian consumers.

The Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, SON, Bede Obayi, during an enforcement exercise In Lagos, said:  “This is a follow up operations we carried out here at 11 Comfort Obuh Street in Kirikiri town in March where we saw a three storey building stocked with expired products imported by a company known as Julf Ventures Limited.

“We promised Nigerians that we would carry investigation that the products that have left the warehouse to different shops all over the country must be properly traced and trapped for us to withdraw these products from circulation. We found out that during our investigation, the dealer did not disclose to us that he has other similar warehouses. This is to tell you the intention of the importer, but due to the support of other regulatory agencies collaborating with SON in its effort to stamp the nation of substandard products, we were able to discover three other warehouses belonging to the same company based on a tip off courtesy of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).”

Obayi said it is disheartening seeing Nigerians going abroad ‎to import goods nearing their expiration dates to sell in Nigeria, pointing out that these products have no economic value but harmful effects on Nigerians describing the products as high security risk products.

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