SON destroys over 5,000 substandard gas cylinders worth N51.3m

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Friday destroyed over 5,000 substandard Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders worth N51.3 million.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the cylinders which were imported by different businessmen were destroyed at the SON warehouse in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

The destroyed cylinders, commonly referred to as cooking gas, were in sizes of 50kg, 12.5kg, 6kg and 3kg and had branded names such as Anadolugaz, Royaltek, Setro, Repsol and Safic.

The Director-General of SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, said the cylinders were seized by SON during the first quarter of 2019.

Aboloma, represented by Mr Obiora Manafa, Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, said that some of the brand new cylinders failed the agency’s mandatory test while others were not manufactured according to the expected specifications.

He said that some were fairly used cylinders imported from outside Nigeria without authorisation from SON, which made them contraband goods.

“We are here today to destroy all these cylinders because we cannot allow them to get into the market.

“They are threats to safety, they are threats to human lives and property of Nigerians.

“So, because we cannot burn them, we are cutting them and will thereafter send them to steel plants where they will be recycled for manufacturing of other products,” Aboloma said.

He advised importers to always do the right thing by following the procedures set up by SON for LPG cylinder importation into the country.

The director-general also urged Nigerians to purchase only cylinders with SON registration marks in order to safeguard their homes from fire incidents caused by substandard cylinders.