Economy

SON evacuates 200 containers of substandard tyres in Ogun

Published

4 years ago

May 27, 2021

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has evacuated 200 containers of substandard tyres from a warehouse located in Obafemi Owode, a remote area in Ogun.

Malam Farouk Salim, Director-General, SON, said the evacuation of the stuffed tyres was to prevent the product from entering the nation’s markets.

Salim, represented by Mr Mike Dakhing, Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, Directorate said the tyres had been tested and were found to have failed all the critical parameters as a result of ”stuffing”.

He recalled that purveyors were devising new methods by taking advantage of the vast nature of the country to warehouse substandard goods in remote areas.

“You may recall that few weeks ago, the Director-General blew open to the whole world the nefarious activities going on in this community.

“Today, we are here to evacuate these tyres which will be the first stage in their destruction.

“We obtained the laboratory results after testing these tyres and they all failed.

“We will await the necessary legal procedures that will enable us to destroy them.

“It is worrisome that the evacuation and destruction will cost a lot of money and the SON is perfecting an Act that will ensure standard products in the country,” he said.

Reacting to a question on why the tyres were classified as substandard, Salim explained that the act of ”stuffing”, render the tyres dead on arrival into the country.

“The act of stuffing tyres into one another and instead of bringing in the tyres in different containers have rendered the tyres bad.

“For example, if they are to bring 300 tyres in one container, they will now have the opportunity to bring in 1500 tyres and in doing that, this compromises the quality of the tyres.

“As you know, the tyres are made of wires and carbon and the test reviewed that the textile strength of the tyres have been compromised.

“So, they are no more fit for purpose and this is why we are going to destroy them.

“They may look nice in the eyes, but we rely on scientific investigation and analysis,” he said.

Salim assured that the SON would prosecute the unscrupulous importers of these tyres.

According to him, SON has laws that specify the right type of punishments to be melted on dealers of fake and substandard products in the country.

He called on Nigerians to always support the agency by giving relevant information should they suspect any form of dubious activity in their locality.

“This is important because SON cannot be everywhere to checkmate the preponderance of these products with no economic value.

“I will like to appreciate the source of information to this place, because we got this through intelligent reports.

“We crave on the indulgence of Nigerians and implore them to help us identify not only tyres, but all products that are dangerous to human lives and the environment.

“We are calling on Nigerians to let us have any information because in line with our mantra which is “see something say something” as we cannot be everywhere if Nigerians do not help us we will not be able to address this issue headlong,” he said.

He stressed the need to increase its sensitisation across the country as Nigerians who still purchase substandard products because they are cheap, need to be warned about the negative effects of these products.

“We are in a dilemma and just like any other regulatory agency, when a consumer in his own decision goes to buy something that is substandard because it is cheap.

“There is no much a regulator can do and this is why we organise sensitization programmes and stakeholders engagement to educate Nigerians about the effects of substandard products.

“Because a lot of lives have been lost in the process of buying substandard products particularly tyres, electric cables and cylinders.

“We are not at the point of entry so we can only rely on information that people give us.

“And in doing that we also need to sensitise the public on the harmful effects of these substandard goods to their health and others.

“This is the only thing we can rely on for now,” the director-general said.

Economy

FGN Poised To Dismantle Kidnap Economy – General Laka

Published

2 weeks ago

July 30, 2025

Our Reporter

From Lateef Taiwo

The Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to ending kidnap economy in the country.

General Laka stated this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell in collaboration with the United Kingdom – National Crime Agency on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the centre had officially launched the State Expansion Programme of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell, bridging a critical gap between national security coordination and state-level tactical response.

The National Coordinator noted that kidnapping in Nigeria was no longer a random crime, but an industry being ran by sophisticated and well-armed criminal networks that thrive on fear and fund violence through ransoms.

According to him, the programme was aimed at dismantling that economy by connecting national strategy with boots-on-ground action.

He said the fusion cell was created in partnership with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to facilitate high-profile rescues and breaking up kidnapping rings across the country.

The national coordinator noted that kidnapping in Nigeria was no longer a random crime, but an industry being ran by sophisticated and well-armed criminal networks that thrive on fear and fund violence through ransoms.
According to him, the programme was aimed at dismantling that economy by connecting national strategy with boots-on-ground action.

He said the fusion cell was created in partnership with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to facilitate high-profile rescues and breaking up kidnapping rings across the country.

General Laka noted the cell had played key roles in supporting rescue operations, disrupting kidnapping networks, and improving interagency coordination.

According to him, experience has shown that while national coordination is crucial, state-level engagement is also indispensable.

“Too often, real-time intelligence, local knowledge, and operational readiness reside with field commands, while national coordination can only succeed when it is informed by ground realities.

“This is the primary purpose of this programme – to close the gap between national-level coordination and state-level response. Essentially, to build direct operational linkages between the Cell and state commands across the country,” Laka said.

Economy

Food Security: Sanwo-olu Commended Over Launch of ₦500bn ‘Produce for Lagos’

Published

2 weeks ago

July 26, 2025

Our Reporter

The Good Governance Campaign Forum (GGCF) has praised the Lagos State Government for launching the “Produce for Lagos” programme, describing this initiative and its ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund as a brilliant solution to the food insecurity challenges the nation faces.

The Forum issued this commendation in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Rahman Suleiman, on Wednesday, following the official unveiling ceremony of the program earlier in the week.

The program aims to transform Lagos’ food system and reduce the state’s dependency on external food sources, receiving positive recognition both within and outside the state for the Sanwo-Olu-led government’s efforts.

According to Suleiman, the initiative is timely and represents a pioneering collaboration between the Lagos State Government, the private sector, the Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company (LAFSINCO), Ekolog, and the Lagos Bulk Trading Company. He noted that this model is designed not only to enhance food production and logistics across the state but could also serve as a scalable framework for improving livelihoods and national resilience.

Suleiman shared insights from the Forum’s sampling of public opinion in Lagos and other states, indicating that people are pleased with the Lagos State Government’s strategic programs aimed at tackling hunger and starvation. He emphasized that a key component of the “Produce for Lagos” program is its data-driven approach, which will help address agricultural inefficiencies and strengthen value chains.

“Food security is a collective responsibility that we cannot afford to neglect as a nation,” Suleiman stated. “We are grateful to God for providing us with a leader like Sanwo-Olu, who is visionary, forward-thinking, and compassionate toward ordinary people.”

He commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for consistently setting benchmarks and leading by example in subnational governance. These achievements underscore the economic growth, infrastructural development, and urban planning efforts of the Lagos government.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu is a trailblazer; he has done exceptionally well, and we fully support his programs and policies. His work over the past six years speaks for itself,” he added.

Suleiman noted that this initiative, a partnership between the state government and the private sector, is expected to significantly boost agricultural production.

During the launch, Governor Sanwo-Olu also announced the deployment of a fleet of 150 cold and dry trucks—the largest of its kind—in partnership with the private sector.

Business mogul Tony Elumelu, who supported the project with ₦25 billion, stated that food security is crucial and expressed satisfaction with the collaboration between Lagos and other participating states.

Other prominent individuals at the event included Amir Kamel, Vice President of Afreximbank, and Michel Deleen, the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, among other dignitaries.

Economy

Constitution Amendment: Group Urges NASS, FG To Prioritise Restructuring, Regionalism

Published

3 weeks ago

July 24, 2025

Our Reporter

… rejects the creation of new states

A prominent youth organization, the Youth Bureau, has urged the National Assembly to prioritize genuine restructuring of Nigeria, emphasizing regional autonomy and the establishment of State Police without further delay. This call comes as the legislature reviews the nation’s constitution.

The demand was articulated in the group’s Position Paper presented to the National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendment for the South-West Zone, which convened recently in Lagos.

In a statement signed by its Southern Coordinator, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday in Lagos, the Youth Bureau also rejected calls for the creation of new states. The group warned that the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government contradicts their position, asserting that its implementation should be set aside. They believe only the State Government should have the authority to create local governments.

AbdulRazaq urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize comprehensive restructuring, as it is fundamental to effective governance and development. He encouraged the National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendment to make bold decisions that will have a positive impact on the populace.

He pointed out that the regional governments established in the late 1960s in Nigeria facilitated healthy governance and development, particularly under the Action Group government led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region. During that period, significant advancements were made in free education initiatives, healthcare infrastructure, industrialization, and overall infrastructure growth.

AbdulRazaq noted that the abolition of regional autonomy by the late General Aguyi Ironsi led to a unitary system of government, which resulted in excessive concentration of power in the central government, a lack of adherence to the rule of law, and restricted resource control and financial autonomy for the regions.

The Youth Bureau’s position paper includes the following demands and recommendations for the National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendment:

Our Demands

We urge the National Assembly Committee to consider the following:

Genuine restructuring of the country based on regional autonomy.
No need for the creation of additional states.
The formation of State Police without further delay.
Recognition that local government is a component of state government; the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government contradicts this principle, and its implementation should be set aside. Only the State Government should have the authority to create local governments.

Conclusion

We believe that a decentralized governance system founded on devolution and decentralization will ensure political and fiscal autonomy for its component units and promote equity among them. We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize comprehensive restructuring and encourage the National Assembly Committee to make bold decisions that positively affect the citizenry.

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