The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), on Friday, destroyed 230 bags of expired sugar and other substandard consumables worth about N25 million in Kaduna to protect public health and promote product quality.
The destroyed items included soft drinks, milk, tomato pastes, and insecticides. According to SON, all 230 bags of sugar had expired and failed laboratory conformity tests, making them unsafe for public consumption.
Speaking to newsmen at a designated destruction site, Mr. Adamu Ahmed, Deputy Director of SON’s North-West Region, said the confiscated products failed to meet quality and safety standards. “Their destruction is to ensure consumers do not unknowingly use items that could endanger their health,” Ahmed stated.
He said the exercise sends a strong message to manufacturers, importers, and distributors that the organisation will not compromise on quality.
“This destruction serves as a warning to those dealing in substandard goods. We will not relent in ensuring full compliance with quality specifications,” Ahmed stressed.
Ahmed added that the confiscation followed SON’s rigorous conformity assessment process, which identified the products as health risks. He noted that the agency’s efforts aim to build consumer confidence and ensure only quality products reach the Nigerian market, commending manufacturers who comply with national standards.
He also appreciated the collaboration of the Department of State Services, Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), and the Kaduna State Government.
Mr. Hena Dangari, the State Coordinator of NESREA, witnessed the exercise and commended SON for its consistency in protecting consumers. He called the exercise a demonstration of effective inter-agency collaboration and advised the public to promptly report suspicious or substandard products to relevant agencies.
Also, the General Manager of KEPA, Mr. Yahya Victor, represented by the Director of Pollution Control, Mrs. Thelma Peters, praised SON for involving state agencies. Peters affirmed KEPA’s commitment to collaborating for a safe environment, stating, “We will continue to support SON’s efforts to protect public health, ensure safety, and promote environmental sustainability.”
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