The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) said yesterday in Lagos that it has confiscated assorted cargoes worth N22.7bn in the last one year, even as it charged freight forwarders and licensed customs agents on the need to collaborate with her in enlightening Nigerian importers on compliance.
Speaking at a sensitization and engagement programme organized for maritime stakeholders, Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma also announced that the agency has suspended the demand for Product Registration Certificate as part of cargo clearance at the nation’s port. He said the product registration would now be required only when the goods are about to leave importers’ warehouse.
Aboloma who was represented at the event by one of SON’S Directors, Mohammed Kabiru said the N22.7bn worth of cargo seized by the agency include : tyres, electric cables, LPG cylinders, lubricants, communication cables, unfortified sugar, among others.
The SON DG also raised an alarm that the non-involvement of SON at some points of entry in the country has continued to pose challenges, particularly to the agency’s compliance and monitoring units. He stressed that at some ports, SON only gets invitation for cargo examination when “deemed necessary”.
He implored the freight forwarders to join SON in sensitizing and educating all importers and the public on the importance of importing quality goods and products as well as the dangers associated with substandard and life-endangering products.
He stressed that standardization, quality assurance as well as campaign against the menace of substandard products remains a collaborative and partnership endeavor among SON and its stakeholders.
“Suffice to state that over 80 percent of products that enter into Nigeria daily, monthly or yearly are via the nation’s seaports and waterways. It is therefore critical to collaborate with the maritime sector operators in the quest for zero import of substandard and unwholesome products as well as the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Policy.
Therefore, continuous engagement with sectoral operators and stakeholders would help SON to carry everybody along in the zero tolerance to substandard, fake and counterfeit products campaign”
Also speaking at the event, the Director of Inspection and Compliance Directorate of SON, Engr Obiora Manafa described maritime stakeholders as the middle men between the regulatory agencies and the importers. He lamented that one major challenge of SON is the lack of access to the importers. According to him, some of the importers intentionally perpetrate false declaration and importation of fake goods like tyres, aluminum coils, lubricants and gas cylinders.
On his part, Founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Dr. Boniface Aniebonam charged maritime stakeholders to appreciate SON for trying to protect lives of Nigerians through regulation and insistence on standardization.
While recounting his experience with fake medication, Aniebonam said his daughter was sick and was being administered with antibiotics, unknowingly; it was made of ordinary milk.
He berated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for staying far away from the ports in Lagos where most importation activity is taking place. He urged other agencies to take a cue from SON and sensitize maritime stakeholders on the dangers of armful importation.
On his part, Vice President of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Dr. Kayode Farinto said that the product registration certificate was suspended at the port by SON in order to encourage the ease of doing business; he said the scheme was not cancelled.
While stressing the dangers of importing suspended products, particularly cables, Farinto said that 70% of houses that got burnt in Nigeria were as a result of substandard wires.
The ANLCA Vice President however admonished SON on the need to simplify its operations and also downplay revenue collection. He said that the agency should focus more on its regulatory role, adding that non-compliance of majority of the importers is because SON usually collects money for most of its activities at the port.
Discussion about this post