Ime Akpan
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has again embarked on a nationwide raid on companies, markets warehouses and shops that deal in substandard lubricants.
Speaking after a raid on Swiss Park, a haven known for dealing in substandard lubricants at the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers’ Association (ASPMDA) market, Lagos, the director general of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma said over N400 million worth of sub-standards lubricants had been seized nationwide.
Aboloma who was represented by the coordinator, surveillance, intelligence and monitoring (SIM) unit, Mr. Isa Sulueman said over five containers were seized “so that these goods do not find their way into the hands of the unsuspecting consumers.”
He said the move became necessary after it discovered through its surveillance activities and extensive survey of the market that most lubricants in the market did not meet quality parameters of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS).
Aboloma said the lubricants lacked the chemical compositions of the oils, which reduce wear and friction even in extreme conditions.
“Before now, we did a lot of surveillance activities where most of the brands of this engine oils and lubricants were sampled and tested and quite a number of them failed including this particular brand we have intercepted.
“We are surprise that some major known brands were equally involved in this sharp practice,” he said.
The director general said the enforcement was also to safeguard many Nigerians that would be travelling by way of ensuring that only lubricants that meet the minimum requirement of the standards are sold in the market
He advised buyers to always insist on purchasing goods from genuine dealers while also looking out for certain marks of quality
Aboloma further said the exercise was being carried out simultaneously in most of the states of the federation simultaneously.
“It serves as a warning to all sellers and distributors of these lubricants and other auto parts to desist from the illicit trade.
“This activity is just the beginning; we are going to follow up while also talking to the market leaders for self regulation. They have all seen the need to cooperate with SON and other government regulatory agencies to ensure that these products meet the required standards,” he said.
He added the exercise was sequel to the surveillance it carried out following tip-offs on the influx of substandard lubricants in circulation, saying that SON swung into action in order to salvage the situation.
“It is specifically designed to take cognizance of the fact that we have an increase in the substandard lubricants. We have conducted surveillance recently where we subjected a number of lubricants to market survey and laboratory tests and a number of them failed. So we are in the shops and other places where these substandard products were found to mop them up, but due to some logistics, the best thing we can do now is to lock them up,” he said.
He said the agency would not relent in its effort to ensure that the markets are rid of sub-standard products and urged the public to always look out for the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) number and logo to ensure that they buy standard and certified products.
In Kano and Jigawa states, the SON team found unregistered products at Saclux Industries Ltd, Sabon Gari market and Exim Impex warehouse along Maganda Road.
In Rivers state, the exercise was done in collaboration with the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
The SON/NUPENG team swooped Becmac Limited Lubricant Marketers in Port Harcourt, where drums of branded and unbranded oil lubricants were discovered, raided Mile 1, Ikoku, Iriebe/Oyigbo axis of Port Harcourt and sealed up 12 shops and quarantined 16 drums, cartons and jerry cans of oils.
In Abuja, SON officials discovered the major source of substandard Mobil Oil in during an operation that lasted for seven hours.
The exercise also led to the closure of 10 warehouses and shops within the FCT.
Mobil has nine out of the 10 sealed warehouses and substandard Mobil lubricants of about 700 cartons were put on hold.
Other lubricants put on hold were Total lubricant suspected to be substandard, Forte Oil, Ammasco, and a foreign brand, Castel Oil.
