The Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Aboloma, has raised the alarm over the recent increase in the cases of false declaration of imports at the country’s entry posts.
Speaking in Lagos at the inspection of about 7 container loads of products intercepted by the agency’s Enforcement Team, during the recent sallah holidays, Mr. Aboloma observed that the importers of the products are taking undue advantage of the government’s good intentions in promoting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
According to him, the intercepted containers most of which came through the Tin Can Port, were all carrying products different from those declared at the points of clearance.
Enumerating the infractions, the SON boss stated that plywood were declared as electric goods; used clothes as plumbing and building materials, while refrigerators were declared as cutting machines and agricultural appliances;
Others according to him include, generators declared as industrial raw materials; kerosene cooking stoves and aluminium coated roofing sheets as plumbing materials.
Mr. Aboloma disclosed that some of the importers who were issued import permits for raw materials and machinery in furtherance of then Nation’s economic diversification programme ended up importing finished goods
He frowned at the deliberate efforts of those he described as unscrupulous importers and their collaborators to undermine then Nation’s strive towards transparency and the ease of doing business especially at the entry points.
Aboloma reiterated his agency’s determination to promote compliant trade as part of efforts to implement the provisions of its 2015 Act to the letter, in order to prevent unwholesome, substandard and life endangering products from entry and circulation in Nigeria.
He promised to intensify the prosecution of purveyors of substandard products in addition to seizure and destruction of the life threatening products after due processes.
