Getting Consumers to Know Their Rights Our Challenge – Irukera

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The Federal Competitive and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said its biggest challenge is how to get consumers to know their right.

FCCPC Director-General, Babatubde Irukera, who stated this yesterday in Lagos at an interactive session with the press, said there is also the need for the consumers to know how to enforce their right, just as he urged the media to always hold them and other regulatory agencies accountable.

He said: ‘’Firstly, our biggest challenge is getting the consumers to know that they have their right. Our second challenge is getting them to enforce their rights.” He said  media engagement is critical to FCCPC’s priorities, because of the role and place of the media in the crusade for an enhanced consumer protection in Nigeria.

‘’We want you (media) to hold us accountable. We want you to engage us always and you are the one that will enforce marriage between regulatory bodies, to ensure that things work out. We want you to analyse us, engage us, advise us and put us under pressure for the benefits of the nation,’’ Irukera said.

Irukera who underscored the need for sustained media input in the campaign for the protection of rights of consumers, said many Nigerians are beginning to know their right and ways to enforce such. He said before he became the Director-General of the agency, the agency received between 700 to 1,000 complaints every year.

He said as of today, that figure has risen to about 1,000 complaints every week, thus underscoring the awareness that has been created, adding that the agency resolves complaints every single day.

He said the change required is with regards to citizens’ obligations and rights, saying, “we need pragmatic collaboration with the media to change the society and make the difference in consumers’ lives.

“The media has roles to play in the campaign to promote consumer protection and awareness and should modify business behaviours in favour of the citizens

‘’Before I became the DG, the agency was receiving between 700 and 1,000 complaints every year, but now, we receive about 1,000 complaints on a weekly basis.

‘’This shows that our role is becoming more visible, consumers are beginning to know their rights. A recent perception index showed that the council has become more responsive. I also think we have succeeded in inspiring the workforce to  become more efficient and resolving more complaints,” he added.

He said the council is more visible and has a better relationship with other regulators, saying that operators in the market take the council more seriously and are more willing to collaborate to avoid enforcement procedures.

Credit: The Nation


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