The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has sealed a steel producing firm, Hongxing Steel Company Ltd., in Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos, for producing substandard steel bars.
Mr Samuel Ayuba, who led SON’s Inspectorate and Enforcement team, said that the firm had undermined Nigeria Industrial Standards of not less than 10 millimeter gauge.
Ayuba said that the team had warned the firm in April for compromising standards.
He said that he was surprised that a month after the warning, the company had not conformed to the standards.
“When the team conducted the tensile and chemical test analysis on the products, the result showed that the irregularities are still prominent in the products.
“The Director General of SON, Dr Joseph Nkem Odumodu, has directed that the company and all other companies belonging to the group be sealed until they complied,” Ayuba said.
He advised the company to invest in technology that regulated carbon contents in steel bar if its products were to be accepted in the Nigerian market.
“Reinforcement bars are very critical products in the construction industry.
To avoid buildings collapse, we must make sure that every reinforcement bar meets the required specifications,” he said.
Ayuba urged stakeholders to look out for SON’s NIS seal on reinforcement bars before buying.
Mr Andy Lu, the company’s General Manager, promised that the company would improve on its products.
