The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has expressed concerns over the level of counterfeit, fake, and substandard products in markets in FCT.
In response to this, the Commission, on Wednesday, inaugurated a Joint Market Monitoring Taskforce (JMMT) that would be responsible for reversing the trend and sanitizing the market
Dr. Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission who was represented by Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka, Director of Surveillance and Investigations, inaugurated the task team in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said: “This event, again, underscores FCCPC’s commitment and resolve to protect Nigerian consumers from harmful and unsafe products, and also to promote business competitiveness in the Nigerian market.
“It’s no news that our markets are flooded with fake, counterfeit, and substandard consumer products that are not fit for intended purposes or clearly unsafe or injurious to consumer welfare. At a time when both consumers and businesses are experiencing economic challenges, getting value for money expended on products has become very imperative.
“Section 17 (m) (1) (g) (p) (r) (s) (t) of the FCCPA mandates the Commission to seek ways and means of removing hazardous and unsafe products from our markets, eliminate obnoxious and unscrupulous business and marketing practices that are deceptive, unfair, and misleading, including anti-competitive practices that substantially prevent or lessen competition in our markets.
“The Commission in delivering the mandate, prioritize cooperation and collaboration with key stakeholders for greater success. There are many players and stakeholders in our marketplaces. Effective market monitoring operations require all hands to be on deck, that is, the regulators as well as the market executives, or market union leaders need to come together as a team to make our market work for all.”
He explained that the first set of JMMT covers four markets within the FCT, namely, Wuse Market, Utako Market, Garki International Market and Garki Modern Market, and will be expanded to other markets in the second phase.
The task team are expected gather intelligence on marketing, trading and business practices that are misleading, unfair and deceptive to consumers; carry out routine surveillance and inspections within the market; conduct inspections of consumer products sold in the market for any possible violation, breach or infractions against the Federal
Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA); and monitor trade practices/trends within the market to determine if they constitute any violation against the provisions of the FCCPA or any other enactment on competition and protection of consumers.
The task team are also expected to identify obnoxious practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers by companies, firms, trade associations or individuals operating within the market; remove or seize, if necessary, seal up shops, warehouses or any outlet containing products that are unsafe for consumption or substandard goods that do not comply with local and international standards of quality and safe service delivery; and also issue summons (where necessary) to compel an offender to attend and give evidence or produce documents before the Commission pursuant to the FCCPA.
In response, representatives of the market executives or market union leaders appreciated FCCPC for the intervention and assured that they would carry out the tasks with due diligence and for the benefits of the consumers.
They also agreed to the fact that members of the market association on the JMMT or their authorized representatives shall always be available to provide necessary assistance to the FCCPC Team, and also facilitate a seamless market monitoring operation within the market.
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