Adhere to safety standards, SON’s boss tells motorists

The Director-General Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Aboloma, has insisted that it is imperative for motorists to observe safety standards in the purchase and use of tyres.

Speaking at a sensitization workshop in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he noted that “tyres are very important to the life and safety of any motorist because that is the only part of the vehicle that makes contact with the road surface and to a great extent, holds the safety of the vehicle occupants.”

Represented by Regional Coordinator, South East, Mr. Papanye Don-Pedro, he remarked: “Since the exit of local tyre manufactures like Dunlop and Michelin, this market has opened up access to tyre importation and sadly, substandard and expired tyres by greedy businessmen who compromise on quality and standards for monetary gains at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.”

The theme of the workshop was: ‘General sensitization-Increase awareness on substandard tyres”.

He further argued that ‘consumers tend to be ignorant that tyres have expiration dates and some of these fairly used or “tokunbo” tyres were made for climates with a different weather and temperature and then burst when exposed to the heat of tropical regions like Nigeria. It is quite clear why motorists continue to purchase these death weapons because they find them cheap.

Specifically, he disclosed that from FRSC statistics, “between 2011 and 2015 alone, not less than 5,288 road crashes across the country were as a result of substandard or expired tyres adding that SON has stepped up its fight against this menace with sensitization programs like this, compliance monitoring and then strict enforcement.”