The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has vowed to intensify efforts against unscrupulous traders who alter their scales with the intention of cheating customers.
The Director, Weights and Measures Department in the ministry, Mr. Hassan Ejibunu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that improved awareness was critical in protecting Nigerians from being cheated.
He expressed worry that unscrupulous traders were altering domestic weighing scales in their business with the intention of cheating unsuspecting customers.
According to him, so far the ministers and the permanent secretary in the ministry have given the necessary support to ensure that Nigerians know about legal metrology.
“Weights and measures have been existing, but so many people do not know about the department.
“Why we are going to the markets is to ensure that the scales are good and to tell the marketers how to use them and can still make profit from it.
“We want Nigerians to know about the weights and measures and whatever they buy in the market should be accurate and fair,’’ Ejibunu said.
While pledging the department’s commitment to ensure that violators of weights and measures rule were sanctioned, Ejibunu said “whosoever that does not follow the rules must be arrested’’.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the equipment used are accurate to the public. We want to make sure that the scales are properly used.’’
He urged importers of equipment for measurement to always seek approval from the department. (NAN)
