THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has begun engagement with Consumer Protection Groups (CPGs) to improve consumer rights education and awareness in the rural areas.
Mr Babatunde Irukera, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, speaking at a one-day engagement with the CPGs in Abuja on Tuesday, said the programme was a `train the trainer’ engagement.
Irukera, represented by Dr Aliyu Mohammed, the Director of Administration in FCCPC, said the engagement would enable the groups to enlighten consumers in the rural areas on their rights.
According to him, the country will be a better place once the consumer is enlightened because nobody will cheat him or her.
Irukera said the commission currently received no fewer than 100 complaints daily when when compared to previous times.
He said that this showed that consumers were better informed about their rights.
Dr Adamu Abdullahi, the Executive Commissioner, Operations of the commission, said the engagement was to inform the groups of their roles in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
Abdullahi, represented by Mrs Joy Lekwauwa, the Director, Consumer Education Department of FCCPC, said the programme was also to ensure competitiveness and encourage the groups to continue advocacy at their various locations.
In a lecture, Mrs Omagu Nwachukwu, the Head, Surveillance and Enforcement Department of FCCPC, said the forum was to help reduce the number of complaints received by the commission.
“You have the power to resolve complaints through mediations; you also have the power to resolve some societal issues through advocacy in your localities without even coming to the commission.
“We want to have a holistic approach to complaints resolution,’’ she said.
Aliyu Iliyas, a participant from Save the Consumers Initiative, commended the FCCPC saying that the collaboration with the groups would help the commission to achieve its consumer related aims and objectives.
Another participant, Miss Chioma Iruke, the Programme Officer, Africa Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF), said the foundation would inculcate consumer awareness in its on going project in some states to educate the consumer of their rights.(NAN)
