SON closes substandard tyre market in Lagos

THE Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has clamped down on dealers of substandard tyres in Lagos, seizing their products.The exercise, which caught the dealers unaware led to the arrest of the leaders of the market and the closure of the Odua market in Matori, Mushin.Speaking to newsmen during the raid, the Director-General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu said that it became imperative, following the wanton destruction of lives and properties due to the vehicular accidents as a result of substandard tyres, known as Tokunbo.'I am sure if you asked the Federal Road Safety Commission. they will tell you the statistics of how many people have died from tyre related road accidents because majority of us use these tyres.'So tyres are very important, they are life danger products, and we must ensure that we preserve life by ensuring that tyres are safe and that they give uscomfort,' he said.Odumodu said that apart from the closure of the market, those involved would be arrested and prosecuted, adding that most of the tyres came in through the ports and boarders.'The SON you see today is different from the SON you saw yesterday, because we will not rest until we sanitise this country. We are aware that most of these products came in through the ports and boarders, we will visit the warehouses and get them.'We are not happy that this is happening, but at the same time we cannot allow them to continue to sell death to Nigerians. We know that some people will lose their jobs as a result ofthe closure, but cannot create job by selling death to the Nigerians. We should focus on productivity. The zero toleranceis on and we will continue with it,' Odumodu said.The Head of Enforcement, SON, Mr . Louise Njoku warned those who were into the selling of substandard tyres to desist. He said that SON would make sure that those involved were chased out of business.'What we are seeing today is killing and we must stop it. Apart from the fact that the tyres were sub-standard, they were stack in an unconducive environment.'The SON has a new management and we are more committed. The leaders will be arrested and prosecuted,' Njoku said.The leader of the market, Mr. Sylva Okoro said that they (traders)bought the tyres from the importers.He said that they went for imported ones, because they were cheap compared with the new ones.Two weeks ago, the Federal Governmentbanned the importation of used tyres into the country.
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