Dealers Accuse SON Of Encouraging Production Of Substandard Steel Products

The iron rod dealers and distributors in Nigeria under the aegis of Iron Rod Distributors Association of Nigeria (IRDAN) have decried the high rate of producing substandard steel products in the country.
The group also raised the alarm over the complacency of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, (SON) in tackling the menace of substandard steel products in the country.
It described those encouraging the menace as “saboteurs of war against substandard steel products”’ in the country.
National President of the association, Gbenga Awoyale, in a statement made available to newsmen, expressed concerns that SON had allegedly failed to clamp down on the companies producing substandard steel products in the country.
According to him, the development has exposed the lives of Nigerians who are the end users of the product to danger.
The association said it had in June 2021 drawn the attention of SON to the ugly development, a situation that led to the sealing off of some steel production factories found culpable of manufacturing substandard steel products.
“About three months ago, IRDAN gave the DG of SON information about a company manufacturing substandard steel product and the DG promised to direct his men to take action accordingly, but to our dismay, nothing has been done over the matter till date. The substandard iron rods are in circulation at various Nigeria markets.
“Just few days ago, we contacted SON to alert them to the continuing production of substandard products by a particular company, giving them full details and address of the company.
“They took no action and instead, we started receiving threat calls from unknown numbers, and such things can not help this country to develop”, he said.

By: Corlins Walter