The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has carried out a raid in Ekiti State to detect those selling substandard iron rods to unsuspecting members of the public.
The Head, SON Ekiti State, Mrs. Serah Idowu, who disclosed this to journalists, said it was part of the measures to curb incidence of building collapse in the country.
According to her, the Director-General, SON, Dr. Paul Angya, has ordered state offices of the agency to identify sellers fronting for manufacturers of substandard product.
She said a task force of SON, which included police officers and men of the Department of State Services, had started visiting outlets.
She noted that during inspections, samples of iron rods found on display were taken for laboratory examination.
Idowu said, “Government is deeply worried at the rate of untimely deaths recorded almost on daily basis in our cities as a result of usage of substandard iron rods in construction of buildings, bridges, schools, market stalls, and slabs, thereby putting lives in danger.
“Government is thus determined to take drastic actions to tackle the menace by getting sources of such killer products out of circulation
“We know many of the sellers are not the actual manufacturers but it is also our belief that if there are no ready markets for such products, they will be frustrated out of business in no time.”
She said owners of any outlet found wanting after the laboratory test and the supplier would be prosecuted.
