Imported User:
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Thursday, raided major markets in the FCT, seizing fake and sub-standard goods worth millions of naira.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise is to make good SON's threat to eliminate fake and sub-standard goods from the nation's markets.
The organisation had earlier given a two-week ultimatum to traders in the FCT to remove sub-standard products from their shops or face the wrath of the law.
The organisation's enforcement team led by the Director, Human Capital Development, Mr Paul Angya, took the battle to Dei-Dei International Building Materials Market and the Maraba Building Materials Market near Abuja.
The exercise lasted for about seven hours, in spite of a down pour and hostility exhibited by the traders.
The team seized sub-standard building materials, including roofing sheets and rods sealing up shops where the fake items were being sold.
Speaking to reporters after the exercise, Angya said the exercise was in fulfilment of SON's two-weeks ultimatum to the traders.
“What we are doing today is to implement the ultimatum we gave them two weeks ago, the campaign is going to be sustained; there is no time limit to it.
“We will make sure that every sub-standard product is eliminated from the market so the message is very clear and you can see the level of resistance, '' he stated.
Angya said that the products seized would be destroyed while items like iron rods and roofing sheets would be tested and if found to be sub-standard would be destroyed.
One of the traders at Mararaba Market, Mr Chukwudi Eze, noted that some traders were dealing in sub-standard products, saying the campaign to rid the markets of sub-standard products was in order.
He, however, expressed hope that products found to be original after testing would be returned to the owners.
According to him, the outcome will debunk allegations that the products will not be returned even if found to be original after testing. (NAN)
