Maritime
SON Restates Mandate To Check Fake Products
The Standards Organiza
tion of Nigeria (SON) says it has a mandate to enforce and checkmate the influx of sub-standard products into the country.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos last Tuesday, the Director of Enforcement at the Port Operations, Engineer Bede Obayi said since importers have devised new methods of bringing in substandard products into the country, they are also developing new strategies to checkmate them.
Obayi said the assignment given to his Director General, Dr Joseph Odumudu by the Federal Government of Nigeria is to ride the country of fake, adulterated and sub-standard products and that the organization has been doing so with vigor.
He said looking at the SON Act, the organization has not even effected all the powers given to it and that more strategies are coming, to make sure Nigeria and Nigerians are not consumed by fake and sub-standard products.
Engineer Obayi, who was reacting to the allegation of arresting containers on Lagos city roads by the SON’s Enforcement Unit leveled against them by the Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFFF) said, neither him nor his Director General will carry out duties to impede on rights of importers, but that SON must do its job.
“How can you have container that is moving by night, when you know it is carrying sub-standard goods or did not even register such product with SON?
They said, we should go to their warehouses, as you know some Nigerians who are bent on not doing the right thing, if we allow such goods to get to their warehouses by night, by morning the goods are no more and as you know the goods will be sold to Nigerians whom we are to protect. My brother, as a patrioctic Nigerian, if we allow such, then we are not carrying out our mandate.” Obayi said.
On why the SON cannot hook-up to the Nigeria Customs portal, the Nigeria Trade Hub (NTH) to profile its products, Obayi said his organization was working with Niciss to develop its platform so as to be fully operational online, and then they will have something to take to the stakeholders and sensitize them, but for now they have to safeguard Nigerians.
Speaking further, he said that because the Standards Organizations of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certificate were being faked by Nigerians in collaboration with manufacturers outside Nigeria, the organization decided to issue SONCAP in Nigeria whenever an importer presents his products manufacturing certificate to them.
All these strategies, the SON official said are to checkmate sub-standard products.
There has been a cool war going on between SON and the Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) over illegal arrests of containers along Lagos roads and the Western zone.
According to the founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, the SON Act does not give the organization any power to arrest containers along the road, but to follow up to owner warehouses to effect such arrest.
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base (FOB), Badagry, says its gallant officers have rescued nine women from the hands of suspected human traffickers.
FOB said the suspects have been handed over to the National Agency for prohibition of Human trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) for prosecution.
This was disclosed to newsmen in a statement by the Base Information Officer, Litunent B. Awodeyi, in Lagos.
Awodeyi said the first interception of the women was during a stop and search operation by the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Command in a boat traveling to mile 2 and Panshi Jetty in Lagos State were five women between the ages of 19 and 32 were rescued.
The statement further said four women were also rescued by QRT two days later in a boat along Tongeji Island in Badagry, with the ages of victims ranging from 19 to 24 years.
Awodeyi said the rescued suspects were under investigation in line with the 2016 Harmonised Standard Procedures on arrest.
Although the names of the suspects were not made public by FOB, it insisted that the operation reflects Navy’s dedication to combating human trafficking and ensuring a secure maritime environment in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategic directive 2023 and 2026.
The directive, Awodeyi said, is aimed at promoting safety in Nigeria’s waters and the Gulf of Guinea (GOG).
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), led by its President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has announced plans to embark on a nationwide strike, if the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) fails to pay nine months of salary arrears owed its employees.
Adeyanju said the affected workers are members of MWUN, and accused CRFFN management of neglecting its financial responsibilities.
MWUN in a statement by its Head of Media, Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the actions of the CRFFN’s Acting Registrar.
The statement noted that MWUN had exhausted all available options for negotiation, including issuing several ultimatums, but that the efforts were ignored by the management of CRFFN.
“The most recent attempt at mediation occurred in Abuja on September 18, 2024, yet no progress was made in resolving the matter”, it said.
The statement criticised CRFFN for disregarding a crucial resolution reached during the mediation meetings.
According to Ikemefuna, one of the resolutions stipulated that when funds become available to the CRFFN, the payment of employees’ salaries should be prioritis ed.
The statement further noted that CRFFN diverted available funds to conduct what it described as a “kangaroo” training programme for select staff members, leaving the issue of unpaid salaries unaddressed.
“This is a clear violation of the agreements reached”, it emphasised.
The Union said CRFFN’s actions have deepened the financial challenges faced by its members, hence MWUN expressed disappointment that, despite their willingness to cooperate with the CRFFN management, the regulatory body has continued to act in a manner that undermines the rights and welfare of its members.
The workers union, therefore, insisted that it would no longer tolerate the perceived impunity of the CRFFN and declared that if the outstanding nine months salary arrears are not paid, it would have no choice but to initiate a total withdrawal of its members from services.
“This action would impact key sectors of Nigeria’s maritime industry, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labour, shipping and freight forwarding agencies, as well as seamen working across all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms”, Ikemefuna stated.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command, has thwarted a smuggling attempt of N1.1billion illicit drugs in four containers at Apapa Port.
The four seized containers were filled with narcotics valued at N1,183,915,500.
The Command’s Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, disclosed this to newsmen through its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abubakar Usman.
The seizure involved 236,783 bottles of cough syrups containing codeine and Barcadin, packed in a total of 2,174 cartons from two terminals under the command’s jurisdiction.
Three other seizures were made at APM Terminals, while one was intercepted at Kachicares Bonded Terminal.
Comptroller Olomu explained that, “On October 11, 2024, during a joint inspection of a 1×40 container, number MRKU0377493, our officers discovered prohibited CSP cough syrup—34,800 bottles packed into 174 cartons, each containing 200 bottles.
“The shipment was expired at the time of interception”.
The statement said on the same day, another 1×40 container, number TGBU8886020, was found with 39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup, packed in cartons containing 100 bottles each.
Additionally, a third container (TCKU6800526) examined on October 15, 2024, at APMT Terminal, labelled as containing essential goods, revealed 19 cartons of concealed CSJ cough syrup for throat and chest with codeine, packed in 200 bottles per carton.
Another major seizure was recorded on October 15, 2024, at Kachicares Resources Terminal: A 1×40FT container, number SUDU8579006, declared as containing kitchen wares, was found with a concealed stash of Barcadin cough syrup in 1,584 cartons, along with 83 loose bottles.
Comptroller Olomu described the seizures as part of the NCS’ zero-tolerance policy toward smuggling.
Apapa Command, he said, “is committed to efficient trade facilitation while maintaining strict controls on revenue collection and anti-smuggling activities.
”I urge those engaged in illegal trade to avoid Apapa Port. Our vigilant officers, using intelligence, technology, and experience, are poised to detect and intercept any smuggling attempts”.
He insisted that Codeine abuse has been linked to severe side effects, including drowsiness, confusion, and increased susceptibility to criminal behaviors.
“The Nigerian government banned the importation of codeine-containing cough syrups in 2018 after widespread misuse among youth”, he noted.
The Comptroller said further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the individuals behind the smuggling attempts.
