By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
The Chief Consumer and Business Education Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mrs. Olubunmi Otti, has said the commission was working assiduously to ensure that consumers were adequately protected against sharp practices.
Mrs. Otti stated this on Tuesday during separate sensitization visits to Tilley Gyado College and Grams Schools all in Makurdi.
According to Mrs. Otti, “the commission had put modalities in place to adequately protect the consumers and ensure fairness in the market. We ensure that the consumers are not shortchanged when they buy goods and services”.
“The major aim why the commission was established is to safeguard consumers interest. It is on this note, that the commission is in partnership with all sectors and regulators such as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) among others to ensure that consumers get value for their money,” Otti said.
She maintained that, “one of the functions of the commission is to identify businesses that abuse consumers and take drastic actions against them”.
She advised the schools to form Young Consumer Clubs to be educating themselves on their rights to enable them act appropriately when their rights are seen to be violated.
The Chief Consumer and Business Education Officer said the commission usually organized National Young Consumer Competition annually for schools across the country, assuring them that they would be examined and if they pass they would be invited to take part in the 2024 competition.
Ms. Rejoice Yawas, the Consumer Education Officer, FCCPC, said that the commission want the students to know their rights and responsibilities hence the sensitization exercise.
She said that consumers had the right to information which means, before buying a product, they must be informed about the uses of the product or service.
She further said that consumers had the right to choose who they would patronize, stressing that they had the right to even return goods that had expired or if they discover that it was not serving the purpose for which it was bought.
The Principal of Tilley Gyado College, Dr Emmanuel Zakaa, appreciated the commission for selecting the school among many schools in Makurdi, assuring that the knowledge they impacted into the children would be put to use.
Master David Shiemo, a student of Tilley Gyado College and Master Alex Okoro a student of Grams Schools all thanked the commission for finding their schools worthy for the sensitization exercise and pledged to do their best during the competition.
