Lagos Assembly prods LASCOPA’s firm up, assert consumer’s rights protection  

The Lagos State House of Assembly has restated poise to ensure consumers right are well protected in the state, noting that the essence of repealing the extant law was to be in conformity with modern realities.

The House made the affirmation during a public hearing on “A Bill for a Law to Establish the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, Provide for the Protection of the Interest of Consumers, Settlement of Consumer Disputes and for Connected Purposes.”

The public hearing held at the Assembly’s Pavilion was attended by the various stakeholders, who believed the interest of the Lagos consumers should be accorded utmost consideration .

One of the stakeholders, who is a member of Provision Stores Association of Nigeria, Mr Wuraola Abdussalam urged members of the House to go to the markets and see things for themselves, saying a lot need to be done to better protect the rights of consumers.

Abdussalam who spoke in Yoruba displayed some items to back his claim, adding that he had approached Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) over alleged counterfeit products for the past six months to address the complaint of his association.

While appealing to the State Government to come to the aid of Stores Owners Association, he alleged that those items displayed are substandard and cannot really guarantee consumers safety.

He also alleged that it had been difficult for business owners to start up business in the state, given the interest of 15 percent on loan as given by Lagos State Employment Trust Fund was too high.

In a swift reaction,, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni who spoke on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said, “We are not here so that you can praise us; we are here to look into your complaints. You can make complaint, should any agency be it LASCOPA or any other agencies be found wanting, we have the power to sanction anyone of them.”

He however cautioned Abdussalam over his comment that LSETF collects 15 percent as interest on loans of N250,000 to start up a business, saying he ought to get his facts right.

The Deputy Speaker explained that no agency of government in Lagos State including LSETF, collects beyond 5 percent as administrative fee.

In an attempt to further corroborate the Deputy speaker on the earlier posed allegations, the Leader of the House, Hon Sanai Agunbiade said the claim by complainant was not tenable.

Also the Chairman House Committee on Commerce and Industry, Hon Bisi Yusuff made efforts to clarify some points as regards claims earlier substantiated by the individual.

He said, “I’m a good listener. For the clarity of your claim, were you attended to at LQSCOPA or not?”

Abdussalam resaponded in the affirmative and with this response, Yusuff said that settled your case.

Also responding, the GM LASCOPA, Mr Afolabi Solebo admitted, “The man was being economical with the truth. The matter he mentioned had been on ground for long and the manufacturers were invited and they came. Why should he come and tell members of the public that we didn’t handle it well. We ensured that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and marketers make sure that the products coming into the state are verified as suitable for consumption.

“We attended to him as a consumer, I wonder why he is also here today. Under normal circumstances, some of those products are not supposed to be in the market,” the GM stated.

Earlier, the Chairman of LASCOPA, Mrs Funmi Falana commended the House for the proactive measure in repealing the law.

She however pointed out that all bottled plastic drinks in the State should have their temperature conspicuously displayed for verification.

She also appealed that the Board for the Agency should include a representative of National Agency for Foods, Drugs and Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to be of inherent benefit in guarding against hazardous consumption.

A representative of Iyaloja-General, Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, Mrs Abimbola Jinadu said clause 28 which deals with inspection should be looked into, saying while on inspection, officers should give prior notice to the leadership of the market  especially if it would be an open market.

In the overview of the Bill, the Leader of the House, Agunbiade said, “clause 20 deals with complaint to the Agency. A complaint in relation to any goods sold, delivered or agreed to be sold or delivered, or any service provided or agreed to be provided may be filed with the Agency.

“In clause 21, the Agency on receipt of a complaint relating to goods shall refer a copy of the complaint to the person against whom the complaint is made, directing such person to make representations within a period of 14 days or such extended period not exceeding seven days.

“Clause 27, the the Agency shall not admit a complaint unless it is filed within six months from the date on which the cause of action has arisen unless the complaint shows sufficient cause for not filing the complaint within the stipulated period.”

In clause 28, the Leader explained that an Inspection Officer on production of the certificate of designation could entre any premises for the purposes of conducting an investigation.

Stating the essence of the parley the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni laid bare the main thrust of the discourse at the meeting.

According to him the public hearing is to let the stakeholders be aware that, “we are treating the bill on the establishment Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency. We are glad that most of the invited guests turned up at the event.

“The regulation that would come after the bill would specify all the aspects of the bill and it would be in conformity with the criminal administration law.

He explained that the Bill is to further empower the agency and give it more power to implement the law. Everybody in Lagos State is a consumer and it is to ensure that the consumers have benefits for the money they spent. Where they suspect that what they were given is not right, they have the right to complain.

“The law recommends that offices of the agency should be opened in all the local governments and where they cannot handle it they should go to the agency.”

Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of the Committee, Yusuff explained, “The Bill is meant to protect the interest of the consumers and we will ensure that all the necessary things are done to ensure that the consumers are well protected.

“On the issues of prices of goods and services, we all know what is happening in Nigeria and we know that farmers are scared from going to their farms due to insecurity. So, prices of foods might not come down until security situation improves. Also, prices of good and services are determined by law of demand and supply.”