When corruption erodes consumer rights

The accepted basic consumer rights are -right to safety which is protection from hazardous goods. The right to be informed which is availability of information required for weighing alternatives, and protection from false and misleading claims in advertising and labelling practices. Others include the right to choose, which is availability of competing goods and services […]

The accepted basic consumer rights are -right to safety which is protection from hazardous goods. The right to be informed which is availability of information required for weighing alternatives, and protection from false and misleading claims in advertising and labelling practices. Others include the right to choose, which is availability of competing goods and services that offer alternatives in terms of price, quality and  service. The right to be heard, which is assurance that government will take full cognizance of the concerns of consumers, and will act with sympathy and dispatch through statutes and simple and expeditious administrative procedures.
If you are a manufacturer, you will discover that Nigerians are some the most patient consumers you can sell products to. You will receive few complaints from consumers. People will grumble complain to those around them but they do not lodge complaints to the manufacturer of products or service providers. I am one of these patient but dissatisfied consumers. I have had the same experience complaining about GSM services almost on a daily basis but have never lodged an official complaint anywhere.  
However, that is gradually changing as civil society organisations have stepped up their enlightenment activities with the aim of raising consumers’ awareness of their rights to quality products and services.
One product that is generating concern is the cement used in our construction industry. The poor quality of cement used is alleged to be one of the reasons for the increasing numbers of collapsed building.  
 As the debate around the standards of cement, grades as well as their usage generates more concern across Nigeria, civil society organisations took up the challenge. One of them is the NGO Network, a Kaduna based organization working to deliver pro-people programmes at the grassroots. It is collaborating with Standards Awareness Group to host a one-day stakeholders’ roundtable today, June 5 2014 at Alexis Hotel, Jabi, Abuja. In the invitation I received from the Project Director Mohammed Bougei Attah, he said the roundtable will discuss the phenomenon and find a lasting solution to the challenge, which is expected to serve as policy guidelines for the government. About 200 stakeholders such as manufacturers, regulators, policy makers, end users, academia and civil society organizations (CSOs) have been mobilized to the roundtable.
The organisers said the resolutions reached at this roundtable will not only assist in resolving the grey areas associated with the issue, it will also serve as a reference point for government’s decision on standards and usage of cement in Nigeria. Mohammed Bougei Attah said the event is a follow up to an earlier meeting of the National Technical Committee on Standards held in Lagos on Monday March 03, 2014. Another related event was the recent House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee hearing on Cement and Building Collapse in Nigeria held on May 13 – 15, 2014. Mohammed Attah said they believe that ‘only an independent platform, with overwhelming presence of end users can effectively generate the right discuss that will bring about a mutual consensus on the issues.’ He listed the main objectives of the roundtable as follows:
– To re-examine the grades and standards of cement and its application
– To discuss the possibility of reviewing the price of cement to make it affordable to consumers
-To commence a massive awareness campaign on the types and usage of cement in Nigeria
Apart from formal events citizens are organizing informally. I received an internet invitation from a vigilant and concerned consumer who   is disturbed about a hike in electricity tariff. David Owaboye, from Lagos is urging us to take action. He said in a write up titled ‘Resist NERC’s Tariff Hike.’ ‘It is disheartening that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC has announced an increase in electricity tariff which would take effect from June 1. This can only be the handwork of its self-centred leadership who do not care about the resultant effects of this satanic action considering the fact that 80 per cent of Nigerians are living by and doing business through power supply. How much is the minimum wage of an average Nigerian? I charge all Nigerians to rise up and kick against this wicked and ungodly move that is targeted at merely extorting money from Nigerians illegally. Our neighbouring country, Ghana, has steady power supply and the citizens pay for only what they use. It’s a shame that Nigerian governments from Obasanjo to Jonathan have failed in this all important task because light is the key to genuine reformation and change. There is no gain saying that No light – No height, No light – No flight! Arise O compatriots of Nigeria and kick against this evil. Enough of suffering and smiling, the worst thing that can happen in any given society is for good men to do nothing. We must all rise up and fight for our liberty and freedom.’
In the midst of all this, it is important to know what government is doing to raise consumer awareness. There is a Consumer Protection Council (CPC) which is a parastatal supervised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment. It began operation in 1999. CPC mandate requires it to among others, ‘eliminate hazardous products from the market, provide speedy redress to consumers complaints, undertake campaigns as will lead to increased consumer awareness, ensure that consumers interest receive due consideration at the appropriate forum, and encourage trade, industry and professional associations to develop and enforce in their various fields quality standards designed to safeguard the interest of consumers. While using all legitimate means to eliminate the scourge of consumer rights abuse in the Nigerian market place, CPC are conscious of the fact that an uninformed consumer population cannot be effectively protected if they do not know that they have rights, what the rights are, and how the rights could be protected.
Businesses also need to be well acquainted with their obligations to consumers. In view of all these, CPC said it is currently doing the best it can to effectively police the market, sensitise consumers to their rights and responsibilities and at the same time ensure that businesses are committed to fulfilling their obligations to consumers.’ For the citizens, we can only hope that the CPC will collaborate with all stakeholders. With the co-operation of all and increase in awareness activities we may become a consumer-friendly nation.