The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has revealed that it destroyed 10 million substandard tyres in six months.
The Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, disclosed this during a sensitisation programme with tyre dealers at the Africa Tyre Village, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
Salim noted that there were 40 million used tyres across Nigeria, making the need for sensitisation crucial. He also mentioned that SON had trained over 800 tyre importers and vulcanisers on ways to identify quality tyres to ensure safety on Nigerian roads.
The SON boss affirmed the agency’s commitment to improving lives through quality assurance and its zero tolerance for substandard products.
He stressed that all secondhand tyres were not allowed as they were automatically qualified for seizures and destruction in the country.
Salim also stated that SON was strengthening its collaborations with sister agencies to combat the scourge of fake and substandard products. He urged all hands to be on deck to checkmate the influx of substandard goods into the country.
The President of the Association of Nigeria Tyre Marketers, Issa Akanbi, pledged continued collaboration with SON aimed at making Nigeria’s roads safe. He noted that tyres were the only vehicle component that put the lives of passengers at risk if taken for granted.
This move by SON to destroy substandard tyres is a welcome development as it would help reduce the number of accidents caused by tyre failures on Nigerian roads.
It is important for everyone to take safety on the roads seriously and ensure that only quality products are used on vehicles.