Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr.Samuel Ortom has said that the law establishing the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, will be strengthened to give it more powers to effectively fight the war against production and importation of substandard products.

The minister said this recently at Sagamu where he supervised the destruction of substandard products worth over N300 million seized by SON.

The Director General of SON, Dr. Joseph Ikemefuna Odumodu had said that over 80 per cent of exports to Nigeria are largely substandard, especially from a particular part of the world.

In a statement from the ministry, the minister said that the production, importation and marketing of substandard products to unsuspecting consumers is worse that armed robbery as millions of Nigerians are exposed to dangers from the consumption or use of such products.

“The situation requires urgent decisive measures to address the trend. SON will be given more powers and stronger “teeth” through the review of its enabling laws in order to bark and bite harder,” he said.

He said that the government will not sit and watch some unpatriotic elements within the country continue to risk the lives of citizens with their nefarious activities.

The destroyed substandard products that were imported into Nigeria by unpatriotic Nigerians in collaboration with some foreigners at various borders include motorcyclist helmets, electrical and electronics products, motor vehicle tyres, food products such as tinned tomatoes, gum and aluminium roofing sheets.