About three weeks ago, exactly on the 28th of January, there was a press release from the Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria, CPC, informing the media of a recall and replacement of some HP manufactured notebook computers and mobile work station batteries from the market.
In the statement, consumers were warned that the defect discovered can lead to overheating of batteries which constitutes a significant fire and burn risk. CPC urged all HP dealers and partners in Nigeria who stock or sell any of these products to notify their customers of the safety threat and make replacements available.
It equally advised owners of the affected HP products to contact their nearest dealers or follow the link http:/ battery programme 687 ext.hp.com/.
Further investigations revealed that the same message was already on the website of HP. Some of the national dailies published the information as requested by the council. It was also given coverage by the electronic and social media.
It is then quite appalling that a trip to some of our markets on February 11th revealed that most of these defective HP products which pose great danger to the consumers are still being sold in the markets and shops.
Pretending to be a potential buyer, the reporter strolled into ‘First Choice Ventures’ at Banfel Plaza at no. 11, Otigba Street, off Awolowo Way, Ikeja. Holding a paper where all those recalled HP products where listed, the reporter gave it to the shop manager, asking if it was in stock as she wanted to purchase them.
Eagerly, the lady who gave her name as Onyiye collected the list and confirmed they had one of the defective products, ‘HP pavilion x 360’, which she said sells for N280,000.00.
Promising to patronise her, the reporter asked her where she could buy the rest of the products and the reporter was directed to another shop, ‘New Creations’ in the same plaza. After going through the list, the senior sales lady, referred to as Vicky, ticked four products in the list which she confirmed were in stock. Those products are HP ENVY m6, HP X 360 310 G2, HP ProBook 64X [G2 et G3], HP ProBook 65X [G2 et G3].
Amazed and saddened that despite the great danger these products pose to users, traders were still selling them. The reporter went further into Computer Village Ikeja, where she was sure to see big dealers of HP products.
Sure enough, she was directed to Blessing Computers at No. 5 Pepple Street where she was attended to by one of the senior sales lady, Judith. Most of the shop’s equipment were branded with HP logo and colour. The sales ladies were equally clad in HP branded Tee shirts.
Scrutinising the list, Judith ticked one of the products, ‘Hp Pavilion X 360’, which she said they can give to the presumed buyer for N255,000. About the other products in the list, she directed the reporter to their shop on the first floor of the building but the sales lady at that place said they had none in stock.
At that point, the reporter unmasked her identity to Judith and the shop manager simply referred to as Hajia. On why they were selling defective products that had already been recalled by HP, they feigned surprise that the products were recalled.
On where else the reporter could check, they kindly referred her to West Gate Computers, which is perhaps one of the biggest HP partners in Computer Village Ikeja. Henry, the senior sales man, confirmed they had HP Pavilion X360 in stock for the price of N276,000.
It was at that juncture that the reporter asked them if they were aware that all those products on the list were actually on recall and not to be sold to anyone. As they claimed ignorance, the reporter insisted on seeing their manager.
They directed her to No. 17 Adepela Street within Computer Village. Boldly on top of the entrance of the expansive shop was a big signage screaming HP Partners. Virtually every piece of furniture in the shop was branded HP and all the workers were clad in HP branded tops.
As the reporter introduced herself to the agreeable Product Manager, Mr. Dipo Latunji, she gave him the list containing the recalled products and asked if he had any in stock. Responding, the man said “No”. The reporter asked him again if he was aware that those products were on recall and he still responded in the negative.
“I have no reason to be afraid of any recall from HP. I have nothing to lose because if I send back the products in question to them, they will refund my money or replace the products with effective ones,” he explained.
Scrutinising the list of the recalled products, Latunji noted that some of the products especially the batteries were not even for Nigerian market and as such may not even be found in the Nigerian market.
However, the reporter countered what he said, noting that most of the traders including the West Gate shop at No. 5 Pepple Str. admitted having some of the products in stock. Latunji insisted there was none with West Gate while explaining that other traders made the purchase from the ‘Grey’ market.
Explaining what he meant by Grey market, he said, “We have channel market and non channel market. HP partners buy directly from HP, which is channel market but those who are not partners buy through non channel market which is the grey market. It means they acquire their products from any part of the world and by so doing can even buy products made for other clime.
“For such traders, if there is a recall, because they did not buy from the manufacturer, the manufacturer naturally will not bother with them. The manufacturer will not recall or replace their products.”
On why he was not aware of this particular recall from HP, he said he was surprised because he was hearing about the recall for the first time from the reporter.
At this point, the reporter contacted Mr. Tolulope of HP, Ikoyi, Lagos. In a telephone interview, he insisted that HP contact all their partners across Africa to inform them of the recall and the replacement of the products in question.
He said that the company advised their partners to stop further sale of the products, return the ones in their stock for replacement and to also inform their customers of the dangers posed by further usage of such products. He expressed disbelief that there was any of their partners who claimed ignorance of the recall.
However, the reporter insisted on seeing the email sent to the partners. Though he agreed to forward it to the reporter over two weeks ago, he has not forwarded it as at the time of going to the press
About the existence of some of the recalled products in the market, he explained that most of them must have come through the grey market. Further questions sent to his email were not answered though he acknowledged them.
Reacting to the development in a telephone interview, Mr. Ondage Ijagwu, of the Corporate Affairs Department of the CPC, said that the council will need to carry out more investigations before swinging into action.
“We need to know the dealers and traders involved. We need to confirm if the products were procured through the grey market as that is even double jeopardy for the consumers,” regretted Ijagwu.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that the CPC Act mandates CPC in sections 2[b] to seek ways and means of removing or eliminating from the market hazardous products with safer more appropriate alternatives.
While section 2[C] of the CPC Act mandates the regulatory Council to publish from time to time list of products whose consumption and sale has been banned, withdrawn, severally restricted or not approved by the federal government or foreign governments.
Who is to be blamed in this saga? Should we blame the manufacturer, the traders or the CPC? The CPC has clearly lived up to their responsibility in Section 2[C] of the Act establishing them but they have not carried out their responsibilities as stated in section 2[b] of CPC Act which mandates them to “seek ways and means of removing or eliminating from the market hazardous products with safer more appropriate alternative.”
