ABUJA – The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said it had signed an agreement with three indigenous firms to inspect and certify all imported used vehicles before being fit for use.
The Director-General of the organisation, Dr Joseph Odumodu, made the disclosure at a news conference preceding the signing of the agreement in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the purpose of the agreement was to implement and enforce standards for imported used cars in Nigeria.
Odumodu listed these companies as Quality Assurance Projects; Meditect Scientific Limited and Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited.
He also listed areas to be inspected by these firms on any motor vehicle imported into the country.
According to Odumodu, areas to be inspected by the firms include the vehicle structure, mechanical aspects, safety inspection, vehicle emission test and valuation of vehicles.
Others include regulation documentation, verification and authentication of motor vehicles.
The SON boss said the companies should not inspect or certify vehicles that were seriously damaged, vehicles that have reached their life span and vehicles with outstanding data recall or remedial action.
He said that the firms should not allow or inspect vehicles from countries that had suffered radiological contamination.
Odumodu said that fees chargeable by these companies before they inspect imported used vehicles in the country would not exceed N20,000.
He said competent laboratories would be established by the Federal Government across the nation to ensure that all imported used vehicles coming into the nation were inspected.
The director general added that the three companies were chosen because they met SON’s criteria and possess good track records.
He stated that some measures of progress had been recorded in stopping the scourge of imported low quality goods and vehicles into the country. [eap_ad_1] The absence of a regime to determine the quality of used vehicles imported into the country made the organisation not to achieve the desired result, he said.
A situation where many vehicles imported into the nation had exceeded their permissible life span made Nigeria a dumping ground for substandard vehicles.
Odumodu said that other consequences of importation of low standard motor vehicles in the country include huge losses in the nation’s economy.
Earlier, the Director-General of Quality Assurance Projects, Mrs Atinuke Rogers, who spoke on behalf of the three companies, assured SON of their commitment to do the work.
She urged stakeholders in the sector to assist the companies in the task ahead, to ensure that they carried out their duties smoothly. (NAN)
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