By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Officials of the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, yesterday stormed some markets in Owerri and it’s environs, with a view to mopping up substandard goods displayed for sale to unsuspecting citizens.

The operation lasted for several hours, when the officials discovered that the market was flooded with suspected substandard iron rods, even as they took samples of iron rods from 12  closed shops.

Explaining the reason behind the raid and locking up of some shops at the Owerri Building Materials Market, Naze, Owerri North local council area of Imo State, the South East Regional Coordinator of Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Mr. Charles Emeka Nwagbara, disclosed that the exercise was a Federal Government directive to rid the market of substandard iron rods.

“Apart from carrying out Federal Government directive, the raid is sequel  to the incessant collapse of buildings all over the country, largely caused by the use of substandard building materials. This is therefore an effort to get rid of substandard products in the markets”, Nwagbara said.

He also explained that the exercise, which was taking place simultaneously in the 36 states and Abuja, was to sensitize the people on the need to be very careful when buying iron rods.