Give Three months Ultimatum

Farouk Salim, Director General SON

In a bid to ensure and improve lives through enforcing Standards, The Director General, Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON,  Mallam Farouk Salim in a meeting with steel manufacturers and steel distributors today, issued a three months ultimatum on the need to clear out of the markets substandard steel bars.

Speaking during the emergency meeting held at the SON Ogba Complex,  Mallam Farouk  appealed to all steel manufacturers and Marketers in the country to put their house in order as failure to comply will result in prosecutions and possible  jail terms for offenders.

Lamenting recent spate of building collapse which have claimed several lives, Salim called for greater vigilance to stem the ugly tide.

According to him the consequences of these disasters has raised concerns which SON must find a lasting solution to.

Moving forward, Salim said manufacturers and distributors have been given a two months time frame to form  associations for self regulation and an organised way of articulating industry challenges to ensure strict compliance and also fish out  their members who engage in such inimical acts.

According to Salim the African Continental Free Trade Agreement which has legally taken effect from January this implies that Nigeria’s borders are  open and any substandard products sold may be rejected thereby hindering economic growth

The Director General  therefore craved the indulgence of the steel industry operators to cooperate with SON so that employment and wealth could be created without infractions.

In his words “If you work with me I will work with you but if you work against me sanctions will be applied and the law will take its due course”

Salim reitrated that on the expiration of the three months grace period,  the agency will commence full scale enforcement, mopping up of substandard steel in factories/markets and anyone found culpable shall not be spared.