The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has delivered seized containers containing substandard wires and cables to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
The Comptroller, Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Bashar Yankee, explained that despite efforts of SON and other regulatory agencies, unscrupulous importers have continued to import fake and substandard goods that are harmful to human lives.
Yankee during the handing over of the seized containers to SON in Lagos, said apart from destroying lives and properties, importation of fake and substandard cables impacts negatively on local and genuine investments in the country.
He stated the need for inter-agency cooperation to curb the menace.
In his words, “Things manufactured in Nigeria should not be seen imported into the country, so automatically there is an intention to deceive Nigerian consumers as to origin of these cables. We know fully well that Nigeria wires and cables are considered as high quality in the world, so if we allow cables and wires from foreign countries coming in as made-in-Nigeria, then we are endangering our lives, investments and this is why in the spirit of inter-agency cooperation that we have always preached about to drive economic growth and development in the country.”
He added: “We are collaborating with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) whose duty it is to ensure quality control of everything we consume or use in our homes and in the country at large. We are handing these containers over to SON to do necessary investigation into because it is their statutory responsibility to get to the root of it and give feedback which is critical in modern day trade processes.”
”We are showcasing this so that other agencies of government will see the impact and the importance of synergy in modern trade processes. No single agency can do things alone. It is a collective responsibility and the security of the nation can only be achieved when all agency work as a team for national growth and development,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the acting Director General, SON, Dr. Paul Angya, represented by the Deputy Director Inspectorate and Compliance, SON, Mr. Suleiman Isa commended the NCS for the cooperation SON has received, pointing out that both agencies have been enjoying a virile relationship in their efforts to safeguard Nigeria against substandard goods.
“We are about 95 per cent compliant on our e-clearnce platform. We have been working on these consignment for some time and we have done a joint examination by taking samples and have already initiated the investigation on this consignment and as we were told, the consignment carry made-in-Nigeria showing that the product is highly substandard. We are all aware that these products are live-endangering products because they are products that cause fire leading to destruction of lives and properties in the country,” he said.
He noted: “We are going to conclude with the laboratory analysis and come out with the result. Meanwhile, we are going to take the container to our premises for further investigation.”
