SON Arraigns Couple for Manufacturing Substandard Roofing Sheet
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has arraigned a businessman, Mr. Emeka Nwankwo and his wife Mrs. Adaobi Nwankwo before a Federal High Court sitting in Awka for allegedly manufacturing substandard aluminum roofing sheet.
SON accused Nwankwo who is the Managing Director of Great Meckon investment of manufacturing and selling the product, which did not comply with the Nigerian Industrial Standards to the public.
Nwankwo and his wife are manufacturers of Great Meckon roofing sheets and are based at the International Building Material Market, Ogidi in Anambra.
The charges against the accused read that they engaged in the manufacturing of aluminum roofing sheet and did sell or deliver the said product for public consumption to the public without complying with the Nigerian Industrial Standards, thereby committing offence punishable under section 26(2)(i) of the SON Act 2015.
The court was also told that the couple were manufacturing aluminum roofing sheet which fall below requisite and expected quality, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 1(18) (ii) of the miscellaneous offences Act, CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Counsel to SON, Mr. J.A Olofindare, said staff of the organisation took samples of the product for laboratory testing and listed five witnesses that would testify against them.
P.I Chukwudebelu counsel to the accused prayed the court to grant the couple bail.
Chukwudebelu said they were willing to stand trial and promised to produce them whenever the case would be heard.
The prosecution did not object to the application for bail.
In his ruling, Justice N.I Oweibo granted the couple bail in the sum of N1million and a surety of not less than grade level 8 in the civil service in a like sum.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to May 24 for hearing.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has embarked on a nationwide mop up of substandard lubricants in a move seen as crucial in safeguarding the lives of unsuspecting consumers as well as boosting Nigeria’s industrialisation drive.
Speaking in Lagos during an enforcement exercise to raid different markets and warehouses in Lagos in search of adulterated and uncertified lubricants, Director General, SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma, underscored the critical role of lubricating products in the nation’s quest towards rapid industrialisation and stressed that adulterated lubricants should be got rid of.
The director general, who was represented by the agency’s Director, Inspection and Compliance, Mr. Bede Obayi said fake and counterfeited lubricants pose a threat to the nation’s manufacturing industry.
He said lubricants are important to all vehicles, industrial machines of various types, hydraulic systems, electric transformers and other things.
“It is obvious that most of our daily activities depend directly or indirectly on use of lubricants and it is therefore, the massive evacuation of substandard lubricants cannot be over flogged,” he said.
He explained that the agency had been reinvigorated courtesy of its new SON Act 2015 to remove all non-complying products from the nation’s market
“You can see the volumes of lubricants we have seized and they are all engine oil not been certified by SON and once they sell these products that have not been certified they will end up knocking the engines of motor vehicles and other equipment.
Any time you use this kind of substandard lubricants, your engine is at risk and also the environment. Today, we have started the evacuation of this non-blended engine oil that is in circulation so that Nigerians will get value for their hard-earned money.
This is just the starting off of the operation to remove non-complying lubricant oils from circulation. SON is out to make Nigeria safe for everybody,” he said.