SON to Prosecute Substandard Phones Dealers, Others

Standard Organisation of Nigeria, (SON) has warned fake dealers of the products to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law

This followed the proliferation of substandard phones, computers and accessories.

Mr. Osita Aboloma, director general, SON, represented by Tersoo Orngudwem, director Product Certification, SON, while speaking on the importance of e-product registration, stated that Smartphones are communication necessity with direct impact in the socio-economic life of the country, but have high risk if not manufactured to desired specifications.

Orngudwem told Daily Times during an awareness forum with stakeholders at the Computer Village, Ikeja, that the recent influx of substandard phones, computers and accessories into the country has made such products to be classified by SON as life endangered products.

“All of us are aware about the recent Executive Order by the Federal Government in which SON has been mandated to ensure strict compliance to quality of products which (phones and accessories) are enlisted both produced in/ imported into Nigeria market, ensuring quality of product apart from enabling ease of doing business and safety of lives, also ensures that consumers have value for money spent,” he said.

He said that through “our surveillance team, the Agency has received information that some of dealers even go as far as cloning, faking and counterfeiting of phones.”

He warned that anyone caught in these criminal activities by SON, would face the full wrath of the law.

SON, he said, appreciates the collaboration with Phone & Allied Products Dealers Associations, (PAPDA), adding that the Agency is mandating the union leaders to ensure that all its members importing phones, computers and accessories to within one month period commence the process of e-product registration of all their phones / accessories, as part in order to enable SON determine the product status and have a product data base for traceability.

He called on importers of branded phones to, within this period, liaise with product registration unit to work out modalities of factories’ inspection by SON’s officials in those countries where these phones and accessories are manufactured to ascertain and certify the qualities of these communication equipment and gadgets before shipping them down into the country.

 “It is very important to note that after the end of this grace period full enforcement will commence and persons who failed to register will face the full wrath of law as prescribed in SON AC, 14, 2015,” he added.