LPG cylinders are life endangering — SON

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has said that LPG cylinders are classified as life endangering and has been on the front burner.

Mr Bola Fashina, Special Assistant to SON Director-General, who disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja added that SON had been monitoring it for some time.

“We pay special attention to life endangering products such as LPG cylinders, iron rods, electrical materials such as cable wires and we have a very tedious procedure for certifying LPG cylinders to be imported into Nigeria.

“That procedure involves that competent officers go to the facility where that product is being produced before we can approve that it can be exported into Nigeria.

“And for those that are manufactured in Nigeria, we also have the same rigorous process for inspection and certifying the products before they can be put into the market,” he said.

Fashina urged manufacturers and importers to keep to the rules of engagement by ensuring that they met the minimum requirement of standard.

He disclosed that no fewer than 15 cases of defaulting importers and manufacturers of substandard products are awaiting prosecution in Court.

Speaking on the volume of substandard products confiscated or destroyed in 2019, he said SON has a rule not to talk about substandard products apprehended in monetary terms so as not to discourage Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria.

“But in all, they run into hundreds of millions of Naira,’’ he said.

Recall that in December 2019, SON destroyed 5,000 substandard Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders worth N51.3 million in Lagos.

Fashina said that as at 2019, SON had close to 15 cases that were ongoing in various courts including substandard LPG cylinders which had about three ongoing cases.

“We take the defaulters once apprehended to the court for the law to take its course; we present the facts of the case to the court and leave the rest for the judiciary to determine,’’ he said.