5 million Nigerians to join fight against fake drugs - SON

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said it would be involving 5 million Nigerians in the fight against fake drugs in the country. Dr. Joseph Odumodu, Director-General of the organisation said this while speaking in Ibadan, Oyo state at an enlightenment  tagged  “Zero  Tolerance Against Substandard Products.”

According to him, the recruitment exercise would boost ongoing war against the production of fake and substandard products in the country.

“We have already formed a national coalition.  Indeed, our plan is to recruit up to five million Nigerians who are going to be part of this crusade. We believe that five million people are  a critical mass  that we will use to sustain this campaign to a level that it would be impossible for people to bring substandard products into Nigeria,” he said.

The aim of the organisation’s awareness campaign was to focus on life endangering items such as tyres, cement and electrical products.

“We are having the campaign to sensitise people on the need to be aware of fake products that could cost them their lives. We believe that any fake or substandard product among these items can directly lead to a loss of life,” Odumodu said.

To achieve its mandate, Odumodu said SON would collaborate with some government agencies.

“We believe that by working together, we will be able to achieve the set mandate,” he said.

He added the campaign would be taken to all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

“Our team had earlier visited the South-South and the North-West Zones to campaign against fake and substandard products. If we are able to wipe out these products in Nigeria, it will encourage greater employment opportunities for the teeming youths.

“It will also improve capacity utilisation, economic empowerment, access to quality goods and protection from poor quality products and better life for all,” he said.