SON Impounds Substandard Electric Cables

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Jos, has grasped substandard foreign electric cables worth millions of Naira in Jos/Bukuru metropolis of Plateau State, sealing off affected shops.

Mr. George Musa, Plateau Coordinator of SON, said the exercise was aimed at getting the country rid of fake products so as not to endanger lives any longer. He also urged Nigerians to patronise the country’s homemade cables instead of the substandard cables imported from other parts of the world. He also stated that the shops sealed in the course of the raid would remain sealed until SON finishes it’s investigations.

“If substandard electric cables are used to wire a house and there is a problem of power surge, the cable can easily yield and melt down because they are mainly made from iron with very low resistance compared to copper”, Musa noted, and added that it can even lead to fire outbreak and destroy the whole building.

“It will not end with the sealing of the shops; those whose offences are enormous, would be taken to court and prosecuted according to the law. We are doing this because people are dying from the use of substandard products.”

According Musa, SON would not just raid shops but also go after manufacturers that refuse to conform to standards in spite of consistent warning from the organisation.

Among the shop sealed are; Okey Dubai Electrical Shop, Jenco Electrical Shop, and Jutex Electrical Associates, all in Rwang Pam business area of Jos. Others are Iky Moor Investment Co at Church street and Jonny Electrical Company Ltd, located opposite the General Post Office, Jos.