The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has recorded many feats, including refund of cash to customers and prosecution of errant companies. Its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki’s unbending commitment to enthrone the consumer as king, has brought succour to many consumers, reports Temitayo Ayetoto.
n assumption of office as the Director-General (DG) of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), in May 2013, Mrs. Dupe Atoki unveiled a four-year strategic plan, which many experts gave a pass mark for being ambitious.
The plan was directed mainly at sectoral intervention, enhanced consumer awareness and collaboration with other sector regulators.
More than three years on, the need for an assessment of the body’s achievements, or otherwise has become imperative. Under the sectoral intervention, the CPC swept through the food and beverage, aviation and the banking sectors, among others. These sectors have hitherto been identified with pervasive consumer abuse tenderises. It was not surprising, therefore, that the CPC’s prying eyes were focused on these segments with the aim of identifying and redressing identified lapses.
The DG at different fora, said the agency would adopt sectoral intervention approach using one company, in any sector to underline its seriousness and resolve to send a warning signal to others.
Some Nigerians who spoke on their perception of CPC, emphasised that the Council has, in the last two years, lived up to expectation. They nonetheless urged the agency to raise the level of its awareness campaign to to enable more Nigerians to benefit from its crusade against consumer abuse.
Such campaigns, expectedly, would lead to increased consumer awareness, ensure consumers’ interests receive due consideration at the appropriate forum, and encourage trade, industry and professional bodies to develop and enforce in their various fields, quality standards designed to safeguard the interest of consumers.
Today, consumer protection in the country is the better. Using all legitimate means to eliminate the scourge of consumer rights abuse in the market place, Mrs. Atoki, the has won many cases. “This is why some of our people call her the ‘Iron Lady with a large heart’ for victims of abuse,” said the Chief Executive Officer, Shokam Ventures Limited, Kameel Shobowale.
Indeed, she has demonstrated her resilience and resolve to protect and enhance consumers’ interest through information, education and enforcement of appropriate standards in respect of consumer goods and services. This has evidently restored consumers’ confidence in the agency and the Federal Government.
Last year alone, the agency ordered the refund of money in local and foreign currencies of about N3 billion, $31,948.87 and 1,406 Euro to aggrieved consumers as compensation and in the resolution of their complaints on unsatisfactory services rendered and products supplied. The financial services sector recorded the highest value of the total amount, followed by the insurance and pensions segments.
Speaking at a recent unveiling of the agency’s Annual Report for last year, Mrs. Atoki said out of the 5,000 complaints received across various sectors, 4,000 were resolved, while electricity/power had the highest complaints, the chemical and allied products’ sectors recorded the least.
Mrs. Atoki said the worth of substandard products removed from circulation was over N242.3 million, with food and beverages taking the largest chunk of over N200 million and tobacco, the least value of about N300,000. A breakdown of the products showed that substandard products worth over N202 million were seized from malls, supermarkets, shops, warehouses and other open outlets, while the value of electrical and electronic products seized during the period stood at N40 million.
She attributed the positive strides made by the Council in the review period, particularly last year, to the adoption of sectoral intervention and other initiatives, which, she stressed, enabled the desired speed and spread to consumer redress.
“It is a reflection of the work we have done to promote and protect the interest of Nigerian consumers. Consumer abuse in virtually all sectors was pervasive in the past. We deployed the sectoral intervention strategy in the satellite television service, food and beverage with particular reference to the beer industry, banking, hospitality, aviation and electricity sectors,” Mrs. Atoki said.
The CPC boss said the agency’s searchlight was beamed on the pay-tv network. The move she stated, was based on complaints of several subscribers over poor network services, lack of toll free lines for customers’ enquiry and incessant hike of bouquet prices among others, adding that but today, many consumers have attested to the better services of the pay.tv company. She nonetheless pointed out that some subscribers still feel that the service provider has still not done enough in terms of quality and affordable service delivery.
In the hospitality sector, the Council recorded huge successes. A firm was compelled to refund over N25 million to 63 aggrieved subscribers of its holiday packages due to gross violation of their rights.
The order was the outcome of its investigation into the operations of the company, following complaints alleging gross abuse of consumers’ rights against the company. The investigation was informed by the multiplicity of consumer complaints, concerning the quality of service provided by the firm, and in particular allegations that consumers of its services had been pressurised, manipulated or deceived into entering to contracts for the provision of vacation accommodation services.
The DG said the company allegedly bought shares for its members, but that once the members signed on to any of its packages, the contract could not be rescinded neither can the member get a refund for payment because they had waived their cancellation rights upon signing the contract.
In her words: “The company’s business practice says after a 90-minute presentation, prospective clients must immediately execute a 10-page contract and endorse 17 clauses containing a non-rescission clause and a non-refund clause, without the benefit of legal counsel, financial or other advise and in circumstances that do not afford the client time to consider the offer, is unscrupulous, obnoxious and exploitative.”
The intervention of the Council in the telecommunications, food and beverages sectors, according to her, was to safeguard advertisement/promotional/ information that are deceptive or misleading.
On consumer education, the agency has paid more attention to grassroot sensitisation in addition to its informative weekly Television and Radio programmes, which generated a combined consumer awareness weekly outreach of 120 million consumers, in terms of viewership and listenership.
Also, other issues and infractions on airlines/passenger unfair treatment have been receiving CPC’s attention.
Passengers of Turkish Airlines on Flight 623 from Istanbul to Abuja last December 25 and 31 and January 9, arrived their destination without their luggage. The Council’s consistent demand for a situation report on the incident was not honoured.
The refusal of Turkish Airlines to respond to the Council’s Summons and the ultimatum of the Attorney-General of the Federation to the airline on the same request, led to the criminal prosecution of the airline and its Chairman and Commercial Manager, Mr. Liker Ayci and Mr. Rasak Shobowale, at the Federal High Court 10 in Abuja over alleged criminal violation of the Council’s Act.
Atoki assured consumers that the agency was doing its best to police the market, sensitise consumers to their rights and responsibilities and at the same time, ensure that businesses are committed to fulfilling their obligations to consumers.
“It is our hope that with the co-operation of all market players, our country will become a better consumer-friendly nation,” she said.
Market watchers have, however, called on sister agencies to collaborate with the CPC in its drive to create a better environment to make consumers truly enjoy good value for money spent on goods and services. The CPC, on its part, has been advised to go back to the drawing board, so as to ensure sustained and increased positive intervention.
