By Adekola Afolabi
As part of efforts aimed at riding the society of all forms of unholy practices in the dispensing of goods and services, Ondo State Committee of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), has organised a one-day retreat programme for relevant stakeholders.
The theme of the event was, “Consumers Rights Consciousness”, and was attended by relevant stakeholders including market men and women, iyalojas and iyalajes, producers of different goods and services, Representatives of NAFDAC, SON and the Zonal Coordinator of FCCPC, among others.
While declaring the retreat open, the Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Services, Tunji Ifabiyi lauded the management and staff of the state Consumer Protection Council for organising the important event.
He described the retreat as very unique and central to the lives of every individual under the surface of the earth, stressing that everyone is a consumer of goods and services which he said makes everybody vulnerable.
According to him, many people are not aware of their rights as a consumer or what is expected to be done when feel cheated. The retreat, Ifabiyi said would enable customers to know their rights, and as well make providers of goods and services learn more about the rules guiding business transactions so that nobody would be taken for granted in the society.
The Special Adviser also stressed the need for sustained enlightenment and campaigns to re-awake the consciousness on what individuals need to know while buying products and services to ensure their safety.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the General Manager, Ondo State Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Ayo Mesileya declared that the retreat became imperative going by incessant reports of the upsurge of adulterated, counterfeited, substandard good and all forms of sharp practices noticed by product consumers while transacting business with producers and sellers of goods and services.
This, he noted is killing and impoverishing the people on daily basis.
Mesileya said government decided to organise the workshop through the CPC to sensitize the people as consumers of goods and services, to know and learn more of their rights and limitations in doing business.
He noted that the CPC is an agency of government where people could lodge complaints or seek redress whenever their rights are being infringed upon, aside the conventional courts of justice.
The General Manager noted that Consumer Protection Council (CPC) would entertain any complaint from customers and producers whenever they feel cheated, saying that the agency is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the rights of customers as regards goods and services provided or rendered by business and services providers.
The Zonal Coordinator, Federal Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCPC),Alhaji Ahamed Garuba, explained that consumers need to know their rights before they could be conscious of it and fight for it.
Garuba reeled out the various consumer right laws pointing out that it was necessary for consumers to know all the laws for their benefit.
Other stakeholders who spoke at the event commended Ondo CPC for the programme which they said has further opened their eyes on the need to fight for their rights while buying goods and services.
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