The coming days will be tough for dealers of fake products in the Federal Capital Territory, as stakeholders have perfected plans to strengthen the fight against the sales of substandard products in the territory.
Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC, said it will be collaborating with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, and Abuja traders’ union to sanitise the city of fake and sub-standard products.
Coordinator of the AMMC, Umar Shuaibu, said the move became necessary following a recent attack on SON officials at Apo market, during one of their operations to check the proliferation of expired tyres in the market.
He said that the meeting is part of measures to strengthen their bond and ensure that no organisation is prevented from carrying out her statutory functions.
“We had a situation whereby Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, went for enforcement in Apo market to check the proliferation of illegal tyres.
“SON is the body that charged statutorily, to check all fake and substandard products in Nigeria. So they went to Apo market for that type of activity, but unfortunately, they were attacked. In fact, their vehicle was vandalised.
“They resorted to us as the city managers because nobody can stop any government agency from performing his constitutional functions. So we have to collaborate with SON and the market traders, in particular, the Tyre Dealers of Association of Nigeria, to ensure that the unfortunate situation never happens again.
“Anybody that is operating his business legally has nothing to fear. It is only those people that have things to hide, have skeletons in the cupboard that should afraid of enforcement or monitoring.
“SON’s function is not only limited to tyres, it covers every product in the country and other traders were also here as invitations were also extended to them, so they could hear the message.”
He cautioned all the traders against selling substandard products in Abuja, even as he warned that the AMMC being the city manager, will not condone any act that will pose a threat to the development of the city.
He expressed optimism that in the coming days, with the renewed commitment for collaboration, significant improvements will be noticed in the fight against fake and substandard products in Abuja.
On his part, the Director of Operations, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Dauda Yakubu, said that the organisation is open to working with any traders’ association to rid Abuja of fake and substandard products.
Speaking on behalf of the traders, the Chairman, Apo Tyres Dealers Association, Chimezie Ife, assured that the Association is doing everything possible to purge itself of the bad elements within its members.
He reassured the government of his commitment to giving every support necessary to sanitize the market and ensure that the proliferation of fake and expired products is reduced to its barest minimum.
