LAGOS: The Nigerian Federal Government has said a detailed list of notorious importers, dealers and manufacturers of bad wares is being compiled and would soon be published to guide Nigerians in their purchases.
The Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Joseph Odumodu, stated this in Lagos recently while on a working visit to the National Secretariat of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).
While commending ANLCA for its matured approach to issues, by employing constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders in the maritime industry, he confessed that SON’s greatest challenges are the proliferation of fake electronics and electrical products imports. He, however, revealed that better strategies are being evolved to checkmate the influx of the fake products.
Specifically, he said cables should be purchased from reputable manufacturers only, adding that any cable with the inscription “sunrise cables” should be avoided as they are fake and as such posed a great danger to life and property.
He further noted that through collaboration with other stakeholders on the issuance of SONCAP and other certifications, regulation of products will be enhanced as there is an existing collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the agency.
Also speaking at the event, the National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Eugene Nweke, suggested a stern action against the importation of fake products by turning back cargoes suspected to be carrying fake products, as a deterrent to all real and potential culprits of fake products importation.
He also suggested the sustenance of a mutually beneficial partnership and collaboration between stakeholders in ensuring that fake products are kept at arms length.
In a related development, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Western Ports, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro Harrison, stated that veritable and timely information is required from ports operators to tackle crimes at the ports.
