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SON to prevent substandard iron rods in Anambra

By Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka.
27 June 2016   |   3:39 am
All manufacturers of substandard iron rods in Anambra State, would soon be made to face the full weight of the law, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has said.

Standards-Organisation-of-Nigeria-SON

All manufacturers of substandard iron rods in Anambra State, would soon be made to face the full weight of the law, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has said.

SON’s chief in the state, Mr. Samuel Ayuba, last week in Awka, vowed to clamp down on all those producing below specific iron rods.Ayuba, during a market surveillance operation in some markets in the state, said the samples collected would be taken to the laboratory in Enugu, stressing that any observed shortfall in quality would be followed up to ensure that the company was reprimanded.

However, in their defense from blames, some iron rod dealers have counseled that SON should hold manufacturers responsible for substandard products being distributed in the country.

Ayuba insisted that manufacturers would be held responsible for any shortcoming in their findings, just as he assured traders that their business interest would be protected.

He said the action in line with a national directive for a market survey on iron rod on Nigerian markets; to monitor the products from the markets, and it is in view of the fact that there had been cases building collapse and iron rods is a major input.

He said, “The dealers do not have anything to fear, the manufacturers will bear the full responsibility of their actions, we know where they are and we shall get them if the need arise. The issue of not giving receipt is new to me, I am aware that anybody who has gone to the market will get receipt”.

According to the Chairman of Iron Rod Dealers Association, Atani Road, Nnaemeka Onuzuluike, series of complaints from their customers have been caused them disturbance, and that they were delighted as the SON had decided to correct the anomaly.

Onuzuluike however, observed that 92 percent of iron rods in the Nigerian markets were locally made, adding that manufacturers should be made to operate within the approved international standards.

He argued that most companies are not sincere with their activities, insisting that the standards approved by SON is not the one they send to the markets, adding, “They shortchange us from the diameter of the rods and also the length, we had insisted that, they weigh these products before sending them but they never agreed.

“Again, they don’t give us receipts and that means they are not even remitting tax to the Federal Government. We are happy that SON is here to take samples so that from the findings they can trace the substandard products to the manufacturer.

Meanwhile, some iron rod traders have given support and expressed satisfaction with the on-field inspection by SON, insisting that manufacturers and distributors of substandard materials were largely responsible for the collapse of buildings around the country.

An iron dealer, Mr. Geofrey while admitting the circulation of substandard rods in our markets, called on the Federal Government to empower SON to tackle the problems from the factories to ensure their finished products got standard compliance approval before going to the market.

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