SON impounds substandard roofing sheets worth N500m in Imo
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has impounded galvanised roofing sheets and aluminium coils worth about N500 million in two warehouses in Owerri and Okigwe, in Imo.
The Information Officer of SON in Enugu, Mr Paul Iorkyaa, said in a statement issued on Tuesday in Enugu that the raid was carried out on Sept. 2, in two warehouse locations operated by Prossy Nigeria Limited.
Iorkyaa said that the Director-General of SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, represented by Dele Omolawon, Enforcement Team Leader, said on-the-spot tests on the galvanised roofing sheets showed that they did not meet the Nigeria Industrial Standard’s requirements.
“The galvanised roofing sheets seized in Owerri gauged 0.125mm and 0.126mm respectively, as against 0.15mm minimum value prescribed by NIS,’’ the information officer quoted Aboloma as saying.
He said that at Okigwe, the impounded aluminium coils used for the manufacturing of galvanised roofing sheets showed a non-conformance of 0.35mm and 0.38mm respectively, as against the 0.4mm minimum requirements of the NIS 488:2010 for aluminium coils.
The SON boss reiterated his resolve to rid the country of substandard products, with its focus presently on the roofing sheets sector due to safety concerns and the economic losses being experienced by unsuspecting consumers.
He said that consumers had been inundating SON with myriads of complaints on sub-standard aluminium roofing products.
“The exercise was part of our nationwide surveillance to locate and mop-up substandard roofing sheets to ensure that only good quality products that met minimum requirements of NIS were displayed in the markets or stocked in warehouses.
“SON wishes that an average Nigerian consumer can confidently walk into an outlet, warehouse or stockist to purchase roofing sheets, knowing that he will get good quality product and that his life and property will not be put at risk.
“Nigerians should seek expert advice when purchasing roofing sheets or visit the nearest SON office in all the 36 states of the federation for advice.
“I advise importers and manufacturers to adhere strictly to standards to avoid products confiscation, destruction and possible prosecution,’’ Aboloma said.
On the sealed warehouses and products, he said that further investigation and testing would be carried out after which further directives would be given.
“Substandard products are subject to evacuation, destruction as well as prosecution of offenders in line with SON Act of 2015,” he said.
-NAN
