FCCPC Engages Bauchi Traditional Rulers, Others on Consumer Rights

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) yesterday organised a sensitisation engagement for traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders in Bauchi on the rights of consumers and ways of preventing market monopolies.
The acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Adamu Abdullahi, who spoke while interacting with traditional rulers at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi yesterday, said that the commission had been conducting advocacy and public awareness initiatives concerning price gouging and other unjust trade practices in Nigerian markets.

He said that the commission was committed to ensuring that consumers in the country get value for their money by monitoring the price hike in Nigeria markets to protect them from being exploited by business owners.
The chairman said the commission will continue to ensure the development and promotion of fair, efficient and competitive markets in the Nigerian economy to facilitate access by all citizens to safe products and secure the protection of rights for all consumers in the country.
According to him, the commission was in the state to sensitise relevant stakeholders of their rights and help them to recognise fake products and where to report their complains.

“As a consumer, you have the right to demand a refund, replacement or repair if a product you purchased fails to meet standard? Many of us have been left frustrated and feeling helpless when a product doesn’t live up to its promise. When you insist on your warranty rights and you are told to go to hell, don’t bother, go to FCCPC. We are changing that narrative”, he explained.
He also said that the commission  would advise the government to open its borders in order to improve the importation of food, which would help stabilise prices in the market, adding that as a mediator, the agency ensures that substandard products are either repaired, replaced, or  the consumer’s money is refunded.

“The FCCPC remains committed to promoting fair competition, protecting consumers, and fostering a regulated marketplace. We  want to help citizens’ vigilance and encourage active participation in reporting any violations,” he said
In his response, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Adamu, represented by the District Head of Lame,  Aliyu Lame, expressed concern over the hike in prices in formal and informal markets, particularly the hike in food items which he noted was causing hardship to citizens.
He assured the readiness of the traditional institution in enlightening the public on the activities of the commission to ensure the sensitisation reaches the target audience.

Meanwhile, traders of food items in Ose Okwodu Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, have blamed the rising cost of food items in Nigeria on the insecurity bedevilling the country.
The traders stated this through their market leaders when the FCCPC visited the market for a survey on the cause of the rising cost of food items in the country.

Secretary of Ose Okwodu Market Traders Union, Mr. Onyejekwe Cyprian who represented the chairman of the union, Mr. Ikechukwu Umeanozie during the visit said the market was seen as the food basket of Anambra State and beyond, but lately the cost of items in the market had become unbearable.
He attributed this to insecurity as the major cause, saying that farmers now fear to go to their farms to cultivate crops, and even when they do, they are either abducted when moving crops to urban places to sell, or when coming back.

He said: “These days, traders now go to rural places because farmers who manage to harvest crop fear to transport them by road for fear of kidnap.

“Now it is the traders that are suffering because we go to them. Most consumables in Nigeria come down here to this market which serves as distribution point.

“We receive supplies from all over the country, three times every week. Yams from Benue, grains from Niger, Adamawa and other state, potatoes from diverse places, fish from parts of Anambra here, but today, how many times do supplies come?

“Sometimes, farmers call traders on the phone and tell them there may not be supplies in the near future – that bandits were terrorizing them. In that way, the trader who knows he will not get stock will hike the price of the available on.

“If government can do something about insecurity, I’m sure farmers will return to farm and traders will not be afraid to transport their good back for sale.”

Onyejekwe told the coordinator of South East zonal coordinator of FCCPC, Mr. Jude Akonam, that besides insecurity, climate change and cost of transportation were other factors.

Akonam said the reason for the visit was to hear from traders and customers how the rise in prices affect them, with a view to relaying the message to the appropriate quarters for action.

Officials of FCCPC who interacted with traders and customers, also shared fliers to sensitise them on the role of the council.

Onuorah said the exercise was a country-wide affair, which is carried out by various zonal offices of the council across the country.