Osita Oboloma, DG, SON

The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) on Thursday warned Nigerians/ importers on the grave consequences of importation and use of fairly used cooking gas cylinders.

Mr Obiora Manafa, SON’s Director of Inspection and Compliance said that fairly used cylinders were not only dangerous to humans, but also hazardous to the environment .

Manafa, while speaking on the spate of importation of dangerous goods,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos State that most importers were ignorant of the implications of their acts.

“These cylinders mostly used for domestic purpose are time bombs waiting to explode. Those things our people bring in are expired products discarded by the western world. Bringing them into this country means danger.”

“We have approved outlets where people can go and get good cylinders that can serve the purpose of a cylinder without causing hazard to people and the environment,” Manafa said.

According to him, the agency will embark on surveillance of wares and sales outlets to impound and possibly destroy them.

He said that the organisation has the right to impound substandard goods anywhere in the country.

The enforcement officer advised both the importers and consumers to avoid used cylinders and go for new ones to save the people and the environment.(NAN)