Consumers Have Nothing To Celebrate —CAFON

The Consumer’s Advocacy Forum of Nigeria (CAFON) has said that Nigerian consumers have  been neglected, abused and exploited for so long and as such do not have any reason to  celebrate as Nigeria marked its 50 years of independence.

Speaking at a forum recently, the president of the non-government organisation dedicated  to the protection and enlightening of consumers, Ms. Shola Salako, said that at 50,  Nigeria cannot boast of a detailed or comprehensive law or statute that protects  consumers from harm or recognise the consumer’s right to certain unalienable human  requirements which are guaranteed by the UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection —a protocol  to which Nigeria is a signatory.

According to Salako, past governments both at the federal and state level does not  recognise the existence of the Nigerian consumers, rather, citizens are related to mainly  as mere electorate, thus political issues are exalted above economic well-being, whereas  it is the economic well being of the citizen that accounts for a better standard of  living, a healthier environment, a sense of fairness and equity and invariably, more  internally generated revenue.

She said: “If government will take consumer protection seriously, citizens will be saved  from spending hard-earned money on substandard goods and those savings can go toward  improving their education or healthcare. If service providers are properly regulated,  consumers will get value for their money and not have to waste money on services they  never enjoy e.g. internet services, electricity, Pay TV, etc”

“I am not sure the President or his Vice has ever mentioned the term ‘consumer’ in any of  their communications. Is the President aware that PHCN charges the Nigerian consumer a  Meter Maintenance fee of almost N1,000 on pre-paid meters yet no such services have ever  been carried out? Does the Speaker of the House of Assembly know that telecoms service  providers daily cajole and entice unenlightened consumers to participate in purported  promos that are never ending yet advertised as rewards?”

“Is Mr. Senate President sensitive to the fact that banks force consumers to take debit  cards and charge them as much as N1,000 arbitrarily across board for new or renewals  which is every two years, even when the account is only for salaries?”

Ms Salako regretted that an amendment to the current Consumer Protection Act of 1992  which would have given the Consumer Protection Council wider jurisdiction to regulate and  protect consumers has been in the Senate for almost four years without any progress;

“They have passed bills to change election dates and fix their salaries. Where is the  Nigerian consumer’s plight in any of these?” she queried

She acknowledged the efforts of  the Consumer Protection Council headed the Director  General, Mrs Ify Umenyi, for the significant role it has been playing in ensuring  consumer protection despite the very little funds allocated to it.

Advising the current Federal Government on how to put measures in place to protect  consumers, Ms Salako said: “Consumer Protection cannot be effective until every tier of  government gives priority and recognises its relevance to good governance. In a consumer  sensitive nation, Consumer Protection structures are statutorily funded.”

“What stops the National Assembly from enacting a law that allocates a fraction of VAT  revenue to fund consumer protection? After all, VAT is consumption tax paid by consumers  so why can’t a part of it be spent to strengthen the structures that will protect them  from exploitation, harm, hazard and peril? The administration that is bold and decisive  enough to effect this much needed change can be sure of Nigerian consumers’ support”

Ms Salako urged the Federal Government and other states of the federation to emulate the  example of Lagos State government which has established a special unit in the state’s  Ministry of Justice for the protection of consumers in the state.