Council Confiscates multi million Substandard fertilizers In Kano State
Jack Acheme & Tukur Garba Arab, Kano.
The Kano state Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has siezed substandard fertilizers and other assorted items worth over one hundred million naira from various parts of the state
Acting Chairman of the Council, Bappa Babba Danagundi stated this during interaction with the media in his office in Kano state north west Nigeria
He said that despite the challenges he met after returning to head the council, huge successes have been recorded, especially arrest of those that are producing sub standard or counterfeit products within the state.
” We are battling with fertilizer marketers in Kano, it’s their time now because of the farming season and spike in price of the product. We have made 11 arrests so far and evacuated more than 5 trucks of fertilizer, which were found to be sub standard from different places. Soon we’ll get the court order for the burning of those items as we did the last time. As at that time, we burned over hundred trucks the largest ever in the state. This is to avoid possible pilfering and recycling of the confiscated substandard items back into the society,” he explained.
He said other items seized includes : Rice, Milk, Spaghetti, flour, palm oil , drugs among others.
He called for stiffers penalties on the offenders as the current law is liberal.
” If it’s a company, they charge them about five hundred thousand Naira as penalty and three or five months imprisonment. if it’s an individual, two hundred and fifty thousand. There is the need for review of the law for the penalties be heavier to serve as deterrent,” he added.
He said the success of the agency is premised on adequate welfare and motivation given to the staff, enabling them to resist attempt to corrupt them
Bappa Babba Danagundi therefore, called on the people of the state to desists from any action capable of putting life of innocent citizens in danger.
On the issue of tricycle restriction in the state, Danagundi who doubles as the Managing Director of the Kano state Road Traffic Agency,KAROTA, said the measure has drastically reduced overnight crimes involving armed robbery, phone snatching and other social vices.
It would be recalled that based on security reports, Kano state government in the month July this year, restricted operation of Tricycle popularly known as “Adaidaita Sahu” to between 6am to 10pm in the ancient commercial city.
He said 97 percent of the tricycle operators are decent people operating within the ambits of the law, except for the few deviants involved
In phone Snatchings, Armed robbery and sometimes even Conniving with Kidnappers.
“There were many complaints on rising insecurities, more specifically in the night, Governor Ganduje met with Security Agencies and after investigation, it shows that Crimes are largely being committed by some of the Tricycles Operators”.
“That was how we agreed that there should be a restrictions between 10pm to 6am and anybody found wanting should be dealt with accordingly, and this had resulted in many of them relocating”.
He said Taxis and buses are allowed to operate beyound the restricted hours as alternatives.
He added that the whole development was a proactive security measure to keep Kano, the second biggest commercial city in Nigeria at peace, urging people to keep on cooperating with the government.
