The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it has confiscated a large number of expired and sub-standard household products across Bauchi State in 2020.
The State Coordinator, Mrs Hauwa Husseini told the Newsmen on Wednesday in Bauchi said that the products were seized during the organisation’s weekly inspection exercise in the state.
She said the affected products were either expired or sub-standard and needed to be mopped up from circulation in line with the mandate of the organisation.
“As you are aware our objective is to prevent the production and sales of sub-standard and unsafe products to consumers and protecting their lives and property,” Husseini said
She said during the exercise, the organisation seized a large number of products from the markets including electric cables expired tyres.
“Others are cosmetics ,macaroni, drinks and beverages that are worth over N2m, they were confiscated from major supermarkets and shops across the state,” she said.
“In 2020 the organisation also certified not less than 15 products according to The Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) to ensure locally manufactured products conform to the relevant Nigeria Industrial standard before presentation in the market,” the coordinator said.
She said many of the shop owners where the expired products were seized claimed ignorance of their expiry dates, while a few others were aware.
She warned shops owners against selling expired products, adding that anyone caught doing so would be dealt with according to the law.
Mrs Husseini called on consumers to always check for the manufacture and expiry dates of products before they purchase.
“Potential buyers of manufactured goods are to check for vital information on the products such as year of manufacture, place, expiry date and whether they are SON-certified.
“Buyers must ask for receipts of what they purchase and if dissatisfied with the quality of such products, could forward their complaints to SON for action,” she said
The state coordinator reiterated that SON would not relent until markets in Bauchi were rid of fake and substandard products.
“The organisation needs the cooperation of the public to provide us with information of sub-standard, expired and fake goods in the markets because we cannot be everywhere all the time,’’ she stressed.
She also lamented that lack of adequate operational vehicles and personnel affect enforcement of the organisation’s mandate in the state.
The coordinator however commended the Director-General of the SON, Dr Farouk Salim for pledging to provide necessary logistics for effective service delivery in state offices.