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Tag: Consumer Protection Council (CPC)

  • Competition legislation will grow businesses — CPC boss

    Mr Babatunde Irukera, the Director -General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), said a good competition regime would aid the growth of businesses in the country.

    Irukera said this at the 2018 World Competition Day organised by the Centre for Trade and Business Environment Advocacy (CTBA) and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The theme of the event was “Digital Economy, Innovation and Competition and Consumer Protection Bill.’’

    Irukera, during a panel discussion at the event said failure of a competition regime would prevent more investors from coming into the market.

    He, however, said that competition legislation may not necessarily improve the capacity of those who are unable to succeed in the market.

    “This is because it is not every time that it is the lack of competition that is their failure to succeed, sometimes governance and all other factors may be the case.

    “But if you look at it from the consumer protection standpoint, on economic development standpoint and employment stand point, you should be more concerned about those who are unable to succeed.

    “Although, the existence of the legislation alone will deal with some of the challenges.’’

    On the challenges faced by consumers through payment systems, Irukera said the key things was to have a clear service level agreement between the main systems and vendors.

    He said the case where consumers sometimes engage in transactions that does not get concluded and the Bank or vendor referred them to e-transact was not ideal.

    Irukera said the consumer do not know e-transact, and did not choose the option of e-transact, and no option whatsoever was given to him to choose from, so he should not be referred to e-transact.

    “So, we need to have a service level agreement that makes things seamless on the front end, so you can have indemnity system.

    “We need a service level agreement so that if something does not go well, there will be a way to go about it.

    “There has to be something that bridges that gap, and we are hopeful that with time this will be improve.’’

    The director – general said the council had spent more than a year trying to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would assist in writing the guidelines for electronic transactions.

    Irukera, while speaking on the challenges faced by consumers in the telecommunication sector, said there was the need for stronger collaboration between regulators.

  • DStv subscribers demand pay-as-you-view billing system

    Digital Satellite Television (DStv) service subscribers in Nigeria are grumbling over the continued payment for services not rendered by MultiChoice, the major distance-to-home service provider in Nigeria.

    In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, DStv subscribers pleaded with the Federal Government to enact a law to compel MultiChoice to introduce “pay-as-you-view billing’’ system.

    The subscribers said that there was need for such billing system, as it would ensure value for subscription.

    Many of the subscribers complained of paying for what they did not get services for, saying that after several complaints, MultiChoice did not listen.

    Mr Uzochukwu Nwafor, a businessman said that MultiChoice was not considerate on how it was handling the issue of pay-as-you-view.

    “They need to put a regulation in place to help subscribers enjoy the money they paid to view the programmes.

    “With that (pay-as-you-view billing), we can save some money, I see subscribing to DStv programmes as a waste of money; it does not happen abroad or even in South Africa, ‘’ he said.

    Mr Silvanus Nwankwo, a civil servant, said that the National Assembly (NASS) was supposed to look into the operations of MultiChoice.

    “Many companies come to Nigeria and rip us off because our policies are not being implemented.

    “Again, DStv does not have serious competitors and that is why the company is behaving as it pleases.

    “The Pay-As-You-Go billing that telecommunications operators offer is supposed to be applicable to DStv,’’ he said.

    Nwankwo, however, said that the NASS should focus on the number of Nigerians that subscribed to the company’s service and insist on reducing prices of its bouquets.

    A Hip Hop Artiste, Ishmael Lawal, popularly known as ‘King Songo’ said that MultiChoice was defrauding Nigerians, as its decoder did not work properly.

    Lawal said that after subscription, he hardly watched the programmes because the signal was poor.

    He also said: “The company cuts off subscriptions two days before expiration, without warning.

    “Again, they keep repeating programmes, when one had paid to get new and trending programmes.’’

    Read Also: MultiChoice crashes DStv Explora price at Lagos fair

    A source at the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), who pleaded anonymity, said that the council had already taken MultiChoice to court over the issue.

    The source said that CPC received complaints from consumers against MultiChoice, among which was the refusal of the company to offer pay-as-you-view billing on both DStv and GOtv.

    The complaints included failure to receive signal after subscription paid; subscription disconnection prior to end of billing cycle with no credit applied for paid time lost; and lack of clarity in terms and conditions.

    Other complaints were: non-activation of free to air channels except when a consumer complained; and confusing toll-free customer care telephone channels.

    Others complaints were: arbitrary charges; confusing billing; blocking some channels already subscribed; poor picture or signal quality with excessive and un-compensated downtime during both inclement and clear weather conditions; and lack of responsiveness.

    Martin Maputo, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing, MultiChoice, said that for two months, the company would cut prices for its bouquets.

    Maputo said that MultiChoice wanted subscribers to enjoy the 2018 Christmas with their families, while enjoying music, food, movies, among others.

    According to him, this year’s Festive Together theme is: “It is a Good Time to Gather and There is no Place Like Home’’.

    “We want families to be together and watch different programmes on our DStv Sports, Wrestling, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Cross River Festivals, The Experience – a Church Programme with a lot of artistes playing.

    “Others are Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival, Children’s programmes and cartoons, Miss Africa Pageant and others.

    “We want to use all these again to help raise funds for the less-privileged people, because they have no one to help them,’’ Maputo said.

    Maputo said that the new prices for some bouquets are – HD premium normal from N11,900 to N9,900; GOtv from N6,900 to N3,200, Explora from N52,000 to N29,900 and the Premium is N38,000.

  • Financial Inclusion: Fidelity Bank splashes N15m on 13 customers

    Thirteen customers of Fidelity Bank Plc on Friday won the sum of N15 million under the Get Alert in Millions Savings (GAIM) promo season three aimed at promoting financial inclusion.

    Two customers, Mr Ogene Udoka of Trade Fair and Charkyl Energy Limited, Ladipo branch, Lagos State, won N1 million each.

    Other lucky winners included Mr Isreal Asidere of Afe Babalola University, Mr Nnamdi Okafor, Obosi branch, Anambra and Mr Jamila Buffalo of Kano branch who won N1 million, N2 million and N1 million respectively.

    Apart from the cash prizes, the bank also rewarded some customers with consolation prizes comprising television sets, generators and refrigerators.

    Mrs Chijioke Ugochukwu, the bank’s Executive Director, Shared Services and Products, said at the first monthly draw in Lagos that the promo was introduced to deepen financial inclusion.

    Ugochukwu said the GAIM season 3, popularly known as Game 3, was the eight promo being conducted by the bank in the past 11 years.

    She said the focus of the bank was to improve the standard of living of its customers and to stregthen savings culture.

    Read Also: ACCW: First Bank unleashes killer squad on Africa

    Ugochukwu said the savings promo allowed the bank to go into the nooks and crannies of the country to enlighten people on financial inclusion.

    “We go extra mile to touch the lives of customers, improving the standard of living of customers and to promote financial inclusion.

    “The promo gives the bank the opportunity to go to the nooks and crannies of the country to strengthen financial inclusion,” she said.

    Ugochukwu noted that a total of N110 million would be given to customers at the end of the GAME 3 promo expected to last for six months.

    Ugochukwu said N82 million would be given to customers under the monthly draw and N28 million at the bimonthly draw.

    “Today the draw produced 13 winners nationwide of the sum of N15 million and produced 18 consolation prize winners of table top fridges, generators and television setts,” Ugochukwu said.

    The winners emerged from a transparent process conducted by the bank’s control team, witnessed by officials of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other regulators and stakeholders.

    NAN

  • CPC commends OAU over sexual harassment case

    The Consumer Protection Council ( CPC ) has commended prompt actions by the management of Obafeme Awolowo University ( OAU ) in the alleged sexual harassment of one of its female students.

    The Director-General of CPC, Mr Babatunde Irukera, gave the commendation on Monday in a statement by Mr Abiodun Obimuyiwa, CPC Head of Media.

    Irukera said the council had keenly followed the raging controversy regarding the sexually and emotionally abusive conduct of demanding, and or providing sexual gratification in exchange for favourable grades in school.

    He noted that the widely discussed controversy underscored an allegedly pervasive practice.

    Recently, there had been a leaked and widely circulated audio clip that appeared to have captured a telephonic conversation or “negotiation” between a female student and a member of faculty at OAU, Ile Ife.

    The audio clip had been authenticated and both the member of faculty and student/victim had been identified.

    According to Irukera, “CPC notes the prompt actions taken by the authorities of OAU and commends the responsiveness so far displayed, in addressing a rather insidious and predatory incident.

    “The Council further welcomes the expressed commitment of OAU to an open and transparent investigation, as well as the promise to publish the outcome of the investigation.

    “The Council encourages OAU to ensure this investigation is broad, balanced and inclusive.”

    Irukera urged management of the school to include people and views from all relevant stakeholders in handling the case to promote confidence, equity and fairness.

    He named such stakeholders to include faculty, professional disciplinary bodies, student representation, relevant civil society specialising in sexual harassment, gender objectification, consumer protection and institutions such as the National Human Rights Commission.

    The CPC boss also urged the school management to ensure the investigative process encouraged contributions and protected both identified and anonymous contributors.

    He said the authorities must in addition provide necessary safeguards that, such persons were not otherwise victimised, “blacklisted” or subjected to any reprisal on account of their cooperation with the investigation.

    Irukera said,”a transparent, comprehensive and decisive approach to a matter of this nature is vital for reputation and quality of education.

    “Failure to fully and sufficiently address the issue compromises the entire institution and victimises not only the students who are directly solicited, induced or compelled, but others who decline, and those who are not considered or propositioned.

    “This is because educational outcomes skewed by such factors operate to the disadvantage of all, especially where class rank is a factor in evaluating performance.”

    Furthermore, Irukera called on all relevant authorities in OAU and other institutions to assiduously address this conduct, or others ancillary to it in order to restore institutional reputation.

    This, he said would ensure that students, being consumers of educational services were able to pursue scholarship in institutions that provided safe, secure and liberal environment.

    He said that it would also ensure that the relationship between faculty and students led to robust and confident knowledge sharing.

    NAN

  • CPC backs FG increase of excise duty on tobacco, alcoholic products

    The Consumer Protection Council ( CPC ) says it supports the Federal Government’s recent increase in excise duty on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

    The Director-General, Mr Babatunde Irukera said this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to him, the increase will serve as a measure to reduce the risks of abuse and disease.

    He also applauded the Federal Government’s consideration for consumers in “granting a 90-day moratorium and periodic incremental adjustments to ensure appropriate balance between personal consumer choices and the public interest.

    “I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for his strong leadership in addressing this vital consumer issue in a manner that is consistent with prevailing global practices.”

    Irukera said that though CPC protects the rights of all consumers and their prerogative to make personal lifestyle choices, it, however, encourages responsible consumption in all circumstances.

    He said that of particular concern were products that may potentially have adverse effects or possibly modify behaviour in a fashion that may be harmful or inconvenient to the consumer, or others.

    He said that the policy was the product of consensus pursuant to broad stakeholders’ engagement and was motivated in large part by the Federal Government’s desire to reduce the risks of abuse and disease that may be associated with consumption of these products.

    According to him, the Federal Government’s approach will also foster consumer confidence, provide regulatory clarity and prioritise safety, all of which reinforces the mandate of the council.

    “The council insists that all producers, particularly of the products subject of this revised excise duty must take appropriate steps, including full disclosures to promote responsible consumption, responsive, transparent and accessible consumer complaint resolution mechanisms to protect and satisfy consumers.”

    The Federal Government on Monday increased excise duty on alcoholic beverages and tobacco, with effect from June 4.

    The excise duty rates were spread over a three-year period from 2018 to 2020 in order to moderate the impact on prices of the affected products.

    It is expected that the upward review of the excise duty rates for alcoholic beverages and tobacco will achieve dual benefits of raising the government revenues.

    It is also expected to reduce the health hazards associated with tobacco-related diseases and alcohol abuse.

    NAN

  • Jigawa LG partners CPC to end food adulteration

    Jigawa LG partners CPC to end food adulteration

    The Suletankarkar Local Government Council of Jigawa said it would partner with the Consumer Protection Council ( CPC ) to end adulteration of foodstuff in the area.

    The Information Officer of the council, Alhaji Dudau Sulaiman, disclosed this on Thursday.

    Sulaiman said the Chairman of the council, Malam Jafaru Muhammad, made the announcement when he received the CPC’s Chairman in his office.

    Read also: Jigawa Assembly to investigates death of 50 children, increase in child mortality

    He said Muhammad, who expressed concerned over alleged reports of adulteration of commodities in markets in the area, pledged to measures to tackle the menace.

    The council’s boss also commended the CPC for its efforts at ridding the state’s markets of adulterated products.

    The CPC chairman, Alhaji Faruq Abdallah, said the council’s officials were in the area as part of their routine visit to markets.

    Abdallah called on the local council to revive its Consumer Protection Subcommittee to help check adulteration of goods in the area.

    NAN

  • NCC seeks partnership of advocacy groups on toll-free 622 line

    NCC seeks partnership of advocacy groups on toll-free 622 line

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) is seeking the partnership of consumers advocacy groups to increase consumers’ awareness of its 622 toll free line.

    Mr Abdullahi Maikano, its Director (Consumer Affairs Bureau), made the call in Lagos during the Fourth Quarter Meeting/Open Forum of the Industry Consumer Advocacy Forum (ICAF).

    The theme of the forum was ”Telecoms Consumer Dispute Resolution and Redress Mechanism”.

    Maikano said that the 622 toll free line is the number consumers could call to seek redress for their complaints on products and services of telecommunications operators.

    He said that the consumers advocacy groups should help to ensure that consumers were aware and utilise the toll free line to resolve issues.

    According to him, the telecommunications industry is the most regulated in the country where every operator has customer centre to resolve consumers’ issues.

    “NCC is doing what it can to ensure that consumers are aware of the toll free line, 622.

    “The consumers advocacy groups should help to collect complaints from consumers and take them to the operators; if the operators are not resolving them, then they should bring the issues to NCC,” he said.

    Prof. Felicia Monye, the President of ICAF, said that the ability of consumers to seek and obtain redress was the hallmark of any consumer protection system.

    Monye said that for consumers to enjoy their positions as kings, they must arm themselves with the knowledge to enforce their rights.

    “In other words, they must know their rights under the law. They must also know their obligations because rights and obligations are reciprocal.

    “The importance of effective consumer redress cannot be over-emphasised. If there is no effective redress mechanism, there is no consumer protection.

    “In this case, consumer protection will remain within the domain of regulators and suppliers of products and services,” she said.

    According to her, ICAF is set to empower consumers with the knowledge to seek redress and serve as active drivers of the telecommunications sector in Nigeria.

    Mrs Oluwaleke Ogundipe, the Director, Surveillance and Enforcement of the Consumer Protection Council ( CPC ), said that apart from providing redress to aggrieved consumers, the best redress would come from the consumers’ understanding of their rights.

    Ogundipe said that an informed consumer would know his rights, demand them and probably receive redress without recourse to regulatory agencies.

    She said that continuous sensitisation of consumers was necessary in the complaint redress process.

    NAN

  • Black Friday: A festival of dark and shoddy deals?

    Black Friday: A festival of dark and shoddy deals?

    By Moses Emorinken

    The recent frenzy that permeated and circulated every space – from social, terrestrial and print media is simply amazing…all in the name of Black Friday.

    Online buyers impulsively cherry-pick items such as home appliances, groceries, electronics, phones and laptops, and other similar appurtenances; they do so with the hope of getting the best deals in prices for the year.

    However, their already wide and bright grins sagged as their expectations were dashed to the ground in an epic humpty dumpty style.

    According to research in Consumer Psychology, humans are known to be the most impulsive creatures in this massive terraqueous globe we call earth.

    Our excessive desire to satisfy our insatiable wants have become a major preoccupation making us hustle and toil day and night or even borrow money that we do not have, to purchase things we do not need, in order to impress people who really do not care about us.

    What a wasteful expedition!

    In Nigeria, e-commerce sites like Jumia, Konga, DealDey etc., are amongst some of the major players in the Black Friday saga.

    Black Friday have wrapped its thick dark sheets around us just like the heavens wrap the horizons of the sky with “black” clouds before sending down the rain; the rain in our case is the purported discount promised us by a lot of these sites.

    Little wonder it is called Black Friday because of the surreptitious hoax deployed to legitimately defraud customers of their hard-earned mazuma without them knowing.

    Customers have been wooed and lured to believe they would have a blast and slash in the prices of their favourite items. However, just like the majority of gullible teenage girls who get deflowered before they clock 18, Nigerian customers have had their hearts broken, hopes dashed, and expectations dulled and lulled by the failed promissory love notes from these Casanovas called e-commerce stores. This is reminiscent to “daylight” rape and robbery.

    How do you explain the rationale behind a product being sold during the discount period, which is more expensive than it was a few weeks ago?

    They even have the effrontery to paste a former price against a discounted price and percentage off – we should be grateful…shey!?

    This is the case of Sharon: A customer who found a product on one of our popular e-commerce website. She identified the product, saw the price and took note of it; only to wait till black Friday to find that the product which she saw barely 2 weeks ago at N3,000 is now N4,000 at a “supposed” discounted price. This is absurd!

    Sometimes, what is most personal is most general; it’s almost certain that Sharon’s pitiable Black Friday story is the same narrative for so many Nigerian customers.

    Please, somebody help me…why call it ‘Black Friday’ when the promo lasts from a certain date to end on another date very distant from the start date; why call it Black Friday, why not Black Weekend?

    How do you call a bonanza period which lasts for days “Black Friday”? Meaning it was designed to start and end on that day (Friday) – not a second more. What we find today is a twisted narrated and semantics for a day of the week to be equivalent to the entire week or even more.

    Is someone trying to play on our intelligence?

    Haven’t we suffered enough from sleazy and corrupt politicians and government officials whose job description is to loot our collective patrimony all in the name of giving us the dividends of democracy?

    I think the new narrative should be that they (politicians) have promised to give us a Black Friday (instead of dividends of democracy) because Black Friday in Nigeria is reminiscent to exploitation.

    No wonder my friend’s grandmother never liked the idea of Black Friday (not because she is old-school), because regardless of the many good that comes with the day as practiced internationally, here in Nigerian, it is merely a show and a bauble.

    Locally, especially in the Yoruba parlance, one can literally translate it to – “Oja Ale”; meaning night market.

    A well-grounded and cultural person knows that nothing good really comes from Oja Ale.

    For those that are already primed to mould and throw balls of accusations at the writer, did you know that e-commerce websites in Nigeria usually rake in billions of Naira in turnover this period than they normally would in a quarter (three months) of their business year?

    It is certainly a festival of dark, black and shoddy transactions at the expense of the majority of the Nigerian people.

    It is high time the Consumer Protection Council ( CPC ) stepped up its game and live up to its mandate of protecting the people from heartless and unscrupulous bourgeoisies who are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

    Dear Nigerians, please think twice before picking those items from your favourite e-commerce stores; it is sometimes advisable to walk into a physical store to price and pick the items of your choice that you need and not being manipulated online to impulsively pick items that you don’t need, at a very exploitative price.

    Be wise!

  • CPC, telecom operators step up with policy initiative for consumers

    CPC, telecom operators step up with policy initiative for consumers

    The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in partnership with telecoms operators, has come up with policy initiative that will provide comfort and protection for telecoms subscribers.

    Its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who spoke during the consumer round table on phone rights, with the theme: ‘Fix our phone right’ in Abuja, said in tackling these issues, the Council has adopted some measures, one of which is the on-going meeting with telecom operators.

    She said: “The Council is using this week of the world consumer right day to host this programme during which we will deliberate on the state of the consumer in the telecom sector and what needs to be done to assuage the rampant abuse of the consumer rights.

    “In Nigeria, we have over 120milllion telephone lines and the population is 167million. With the revolution occassioned by the introduction of the global system for mobile communication in 2001, almost every home in Nigeria now owns at least a mobile phone.

    “While adopting the theme, fix our phones, the international consumer movement set an agenda that deals with issues that affect mobile consumers across the world, like providing consumees with fair contracts explained in clear, complete and accessible language, provide consumers with their money worth, provide consumers with fair transparent billing, providing with power over their own information and listening, responding to consumer complaints.”

    She added: “This issues affect us all as the record of complaints in CPC shows that Nigerian consumers are faced with challenges that revolve around them. These include, poor network service, enrolment of subscribers in unsolicited services, unlawful deduction, wrong billing, exploitative automated services, unauthorised sim swap, poor customers service.”

  • Reps, CPC probe banks over malfunctioning ATMs

    Reps, CPC probe banks over malfunctioning ATMs

    The House of Representatives and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) have begun investigation into allegations of wrongful withholding of customers’ monies through malfunctioning Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a petition on the issue presented by Ali Ahmad (PDP, Kwara). He noted that the trend is a threat to the country’s transition to cashless economy.

    The petition, according to Ahmad, who is also Chairman, House Committee on Justice, narrated how customers went through harrowing experiences through malfunctioning ATMs.

    Ahmad said: “The petitioner narrated how he went through due process by making formal complaint of reporting the non-dispense of his money while his account was debited. He resorted to the petition and House of Representatives’ intervention two months after the incident to curb further tactical manipulation of the banking system.”

    Ahmad, while defending the need for the investigation, noted that withholding customers’ money for more than the stipulated period should not be treated with levity.

    The petition reads on part: “The banks would continue to indulge in this since there is no sanction to make them responsible by ensuring that their ATMs are always in good condition. It may not be out of place that the trend might be deliberate, probably in a bid to use unsuspecting customers’ money to ease their (banks) financial pressure.

    “This is because if all the incidences are recorded and the funds aggregated by all the banks, there is no doubt that we will be talking about millions of Naira being deliberately denied customers while the banks are feeding fat on it.

    “These funds are held supposedly for 10 working days, which translates to at least two weeks and the owner of the fund is made to run from pillar to post and at the end of the day, no interest is added to the fund, he said.”