SON Confiscates 5,000 Obsolete, Substandard Gas Cylinders

The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has seized over 5,000 obsolete and substandard cooking gas cylinders.
SON’s Head of Enforcement, Bede Obayi, said the organisation impounded the cylinders in line with the Federal Government’s directive to phase out old and substandard cylinders from the market and replace them with new ones.
He said the cylinders were seized across the six geo-political zones to ensure wide coverage of the exercise, adding that the exercise would continue in 27 states and the Federal Capital Authority (FCT).

The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has seized over 5,000 obsolete and substandard cooking gas cylinders.
SON’s Head of Enforcement, Bede Obayi, said the organisation impounded the cylinders in line with the Federal Government’s directive to phase out old and substandard cylinders from the market and replace them with new ones.
He said the cylinders were seized across the six geo-political zones to ensure wide coverage of the exercise, adding that the exercise would continue in 27 states and the Federal Capital Authority (FCT).
He said the exercise began early in the year, following the government’s decision to phase out old cylinders.
The aim is to encourage the production of cylinders locally, protect the consumers and further promote a cleaner and safer environment.
He said the withdrawal of old cylinders would pave the way for new ones, adding that the confisticated cylinders didn’t meet International Standard Organisation (ISO) requirements.   He said they were unsafe.
Obayi said the seized cylinders would be crushed and converted into other metals to discourage more people from using them.
He said: “Over 5,000 gas cylinders were confiscated, warehoused by SON, and would be sent to the steel companies for melting and production into other metals. More cylinders are going to be seized, melted and used for production of other metals soon. The agency is on top of the game, and wouldn’t back out in the fight against the usage of bad products in the country.
“We would pick up bad cylinders anywhere we see them because we want to get rid of them.  Globally, the usage of uncertified cylinders is dangerous.  A country that uses old cylinders is sitting on keg of gun powder. The reason is because such cylinders can leak and cause explosion.  If the usage of such cylinders is not curbed or banned in Nigeria, it would gradually destroy the country.”
He said the agency would move from confiscating obsolete cylinders to ensuring that the marketers of such items are arrested. “Our team has been going round the country, and once we know where marketers of obsolete cylinders are, we would go there,” he added.
Also, the President, Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum gas Association, Dayo Adesina, said the removal of obsolete cylinders is not immediate, given the complex nature of the country.
“The withdrawal of old cylinders is not a one-off thing. It is a gradual process. This is evident by the way SON and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is going about the issue,” he added.