In a new drive to protect consumers, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission [FCCPC] has kicked off a market sensitisation programme that will first sweep through the Southwest markets to arrest unfair trade practices, teach consumers their rights and businesses their obligations.

Speaking during an engagement recently with Computer Village traders, other stakeholders at the Ikeja Club Awolowo Rd, the FCCPC Zonal Co-ordinator South West Zonal Office, Dr. Olubunmi Dorcas Otti said, “This street level sensitization will involve direct engagement with traders, market associations, consumers and other stakeholders to promote ethical business practice, enforce the FCCPA 2018 Act and protect the welfare of Nigerian consumers”.

Otti disclosed that the event was one of the bold steps of the Commission to carry out business awareness sensitization and Consumer awareness sensitisation to meet people where they are.

“Starting from the Computer Village market today, we shall proceed to the Alaba Market next and then to the Trade Fair market, then to all other big markets in the Southwest to educate businesses of their obligation to consumers and the implications of violation as stipulated in the FCCPA 2018 Act and teach Consumers their rights also. We shall take it step by step. You can see how technical this one is.”

Lamenting about the low level consumer education in the society, Otti said, “We believe that consumer education is consumer protection, and so when a consumer is empowered, that is the first means of defence against market exploitation.

“From the complaints that we receive, you will see that consumers do not know their rights”.

She appealed to consumers to channel their complaints to the FCCPC, adding, “We need consumers to talk to us; they should not leave it to God but leave it to the FCCPC because we have been empowered by the law.

“We need consumers to speak out. Consumers need to know their rights and responsibilities, and when they are violated, they should speak out. The law has empowered us to collect their complaints and ensure that their rights are protected.”

Responding to a question about the refund and return of products, which is one of the major issues consumers in Nigeria grapple with, Otti said, “There is nothing like no refund or no return. The law says if the product does not satisfy the intended purpose whatsoever, the consumer should return it.”

She noted that when consumers come to the mediation table, they are always shocked to hear that by law they have the right to return a product back to the seller adding that it was part of the reason, “We are here to open the books to the traders, and we have a much more larger audience when we meet them where they are”.

Reacting to a question about the implication of violations, the Southwest Zonal Co-ordinator said that the Law empowers the Commission to fine an erring Business, to withdraw a product not fit for consumers, to seize and also to prosecute amongst others.

On the number of complaints the Agency receives from consumers, she said, thousands of consumers walk in or use their various platforms to complain, “though we need more of them to talk”.

Speaking, Mr Ebiem Afamefuna Samuel, President of the Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association [PAPDA], expressed satisfaction with how FCCPC relates with the traders. “We have been collaborating with the agency and shall continue to work with them for the benefit of Nigeria.”

However, the new President of the association lamented about the toll the instability in Forex was taking on their business, which cost is invariably passed to consumers, adding that once there is stability, the business will be smooth.

He appealed to the Federal Government to make forex readily available to the traders and also reduce duty charges on some of the imported products to ease the strain on consumers.