By Okechukwu Ukegbu
ONE of the cardinal functions of the Consumers Protection Council (CPC) is to seek ways and means of removing or eliminating from the market hazardous products and causing offenders to replace such products with safer and more appropriate alternatives. The newly-constituted Abia Consumers Protection Council (CPC) is poised to carry out this function, among other duties.
Recent raids on markets in Aba have revealed that consumers are at the mercy of dealers of unwholesome products. But the Chairman of the council, Mr. Ukadike Ogbuagu, has assured that he will reverse the trend where Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state with its many Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, is noted for sharp business practices.
In one of the raids, the council confiscated a wide range of unwholesome products ranging from cosmetics, drugs and alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages. The products were either expired, adulterated or banned. They include Fumbact A, Laside, Alcopar, and Pyramtrin. Others are alcoholic beverages such as Black label, Red label, Hennessy, Macdowell, among others.
Investigations reveal that dealers in these fake products engage in high profile adulteration to introduce them to the market. One of such means is the importation of the bottles, labels, corks, and packets of the original products. Thereafter, the bottles are filled with fake liquid content to the detriment of unsuspecting consumers.
The dealers in these adulterated products go a step further by erasing the expiry dates inscribed on the labels of these products and replacing them with new ones. That is why the Abia CPC Chairman, Mr. Ukadike Ogbuagu, is warning seriously that Abia consumers should be wary of products they consume, especially sausage rolls.
There is no doubt that most products flooding the market do not possess the certifications of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)..
To advance their nefarious activities, warnings announcing the adverse effects of products are now written in alien languages, thereby denying the consumers knowledge of such effects. The pertinent question that agitates the mind is: Who knows how many Abians these sharp practices have sent to their untimely graves?
The Abia CPC is not resting on its oars to ensure that the consumers are adequately protected. The raids on markets to mop up unwholesome products is a continuous exercise and should not be compromised. The council has designed measures to ensure that the consumer’s “warranty”, which is an assurance from the manufacturer confirming the quality of the product with the promise that there will be a Refund, Replacement or Repair (3Rs) if a problem occurs within a stated period, is strictly enforced.
The council is appealing to consumers to contact it whenever they encounter difficulties in the course of demanding the enforcement of their warranty. The council is also mounting an intensive enlightenment campaign on consumers’ rights. Such rights include the right to redress.
This guarantees a consumer who is dissatisfied with a product or service the right to redress. This can be either a refund of money paid, repair or replacement of the product; Right to safety: This right guarantees every right to safe products and services fit for their use and purpose; Right to information: This right guarantees every consumer the right to all necessary information about a product or service to be consumed. This information should include the content of the product, labelling standards, ingredients, prescribed usage, and best before date.
Others are Right to Consumer Education: This is the right of consumers to be educated about their rights; Right to Choose: This is the right of consumers to be able to select freely from a range of products and services.
The enlightenment campaign will extend to other areas such as Consumers’ Rights to Healthy Foods. This affords consumers the right to nutritional information, safe and healthy foods. These campaigns would be anchored on “Stay off junk food”:Too much fat can lead to obesity and heart diseases. Too much sugar can lead to diabetes, and too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and other diseases.
Abia CPC is working assiduously to ensure that customers are not shortchanged. The council is mobilising stakeholders to ensure that consumer clubs are inaugurated in both primary and post-primary schools in the state. The essence of this is to ensure that Abia residents, especially children, are well informed. These tasks are on top gear to ensure that products like rice and cement are no longer rebagged, while ensuring that meat is processed in the most hygienic conditions for human consumption.
All the same, these tasks are not free of challenges. One of the challenges is the attitude of consumers. Most of the consumers are ignorant of these facts and may not garner the required courage and patience the prosecution of these programmes deserve. Another daunting task is the dismantling of the cartel responsible for these unwholesome practices. Dismantling this cartel can be possible if the appropriate authorities and security agents enlist their support.
Besides, funding is a critical component of this campaign. The relevant agencies, especially the state government, should not hesitate to render the necessary financial assistance to the council when required to do so.
The Chairman of Abia CPC, Mr. Ukadike Ogbuagu, is optimistic that no matter how daunting the task to rid Abia of unwholesome products is, it is achievable. Unwholesome products are nobody’s friend. Anybody can be a victim.
Ukegbu writes from Umuahia, Abia State.