SON Shuts Down 13 Steel Companies Over Standards Infraction In Lagos, Ogun Others
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Monday said it has sealed 13 steel factories across the country for standards infractions.
The SON task force on steel Chairman, Mr Enebi Onucheyo who disclosed to newsmen in Lagos said the companies located in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Abia and Edo States will remain shut until further notice.
According to him, the action followed nationwide market surveillance carried out by the SON Task Force between November 2019 and January 2020.
He said samples of various steel products were obtained from the open market as well as the facilities of the companies during the surveillance period.
According to him, because of SON’s classification of steel bars as life-endangering products, the Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) provides for unique identification marks for every locally manufactured or imported steel bars for easy traceability.
“Laboratory tests and analysis carried out on the samples revealed that most of them failed to meet the minimum requirements for diameter and mass per meter as provided in the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS 117:2004).
“These are critical parameters in the standard for reinforcement bars for concrete,” he said.
Enebi said the shutdown exercise followed earlier warnings to all the steel manufacturing companies after observed infractions with directives to ensure strict compliance with the requirements of the NIS 117:2004.
The Task Force Chairman disclosed that some of the companies were found to have tampered with products earlier placed on hold by SON in their facilities while an unregistered identification mark “GE” was discovered in one of the products sampled.
Commenting on the standards enforcement activity, the SON Director-General, Osita Aboloma reiterated the need to promote quality made-in-Nigeria products preparatory to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
