As part of its efforts towards entrenching the right knowledge and orientation in the general public, the Imo State Consumer protection council (CPC) under the able leadership of Hon Mrs Obioma Okafor (DG) has embarked on massive sensitization and awareness campaign to communities and churches holding their home and abroad meetings in the state.
The women of Emmanuel Anglican Church Avu in Owerri West LGA was among the first groups to be visited by the Consumer Education team of imo CPC.
Speaking during the sensitization visit, the leader of the team and HOD surveillance and enforcement department, Mr Austin Igwechi, noted that imo state Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has been repositioned by the present Governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma for effective Consumer Protection in imo state. With the appointment of a technocrat, the first woman DG, Hon Mrs Obioma Okafor, the narrative has changed, it’s no longer business as usual. He went further to explain how the women can identify fake and substandard products in the market using the various physical parameters of the product. For example, check whether the products has NAFDAC Registration Number, Exparation dates, if not, the product should be suspected as being fake.
Mr Igwechi, said, research has revealed that most fake or imitation products are cheaper and one can easily identify it with “3P”, PRICE, PACKAGING AND PLACE. This means, fake products are always cheaper compared with the original, it has poor quality packaging and sold in common places in our local market. “Fakers are always in a hurry to make profit, that’s why you see their products poorly packaged.” He admonished the women of Emmanuel Anglican church, Avu, Owerri West LGA to be careful and develop the habit of checking the manufacturing and exparation dates of every products before they consume. According to him any products without those information are suspected to be fake and are not fit for human consumption.
Another speaker, Mr Michael Ukozor, a member of the team, took time to informed the women about their inalienable rights as consumers which includes *Right to choose, Right to safety, Right to seek redress, Right to information, Right to healthy environment, Right to satisfaction, Right to representation and Right to consumer education.* He equally urged them to always speak out anytime there is infringement on any of their rights, as CPC is always there to help them get speedy redress.
Mr Ukozor reminded the women of the various health risks associated with the wrong use of chemicals to preserve or process food items. He said, “Imo CPC is using this approach of public enlightenment to wage war against fake and adulterated products in Imo State, we therefore urge you at the grassroot to be vigilant and courageous enough to report to imo CPC any suspicious activity or quack factories around your neighbourhood”. At all time, the council welcomes valid information from patriotic Nigerians on the activities of the perpetrators of fake and adulterated products, in order to clamp them down. You may be aware that 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 our market places. The council, under Mrs Obioma Okafor is 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. Business men and women also need to be well acquainted with their obligations to consumers.
In view of all these, the council is currently doing the best it can to effectively police the market, sensitize consumers about their rights and responsibilities and at the same time ensure that businesses are committed to fulfilling their obligations to consumers. It is our hope that with the sensitization of women during this August meetings and the co-operation of all market players, our state will become a better consumer-friendly state as encapsulated in the shared prosperity mantra of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Earlier in her welcome address, the president, women of Emmanuel Anglican church Avu, Lady Chinyere Ubochi, thanked the Director General, CPC Imo State, Hon. Mrs Okafor and the Consumer Education team for coming to visit them, adding that such visit has strengthened their confidence in the activities of CPC. She further used the opportunity to call on her members to pay attention to the lectures , stressing that the information that will be given to them will definitely help them not to make costly mistake in the future. Again, onbehalf of the women of Emmanuel Anglican church Avu, Lady Ubochi assured the team of their continual support and loyalty to the 3R government of Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Finally, There was a question and answer session where some of the women, shared their experiences on how they were shortchanged by some unscrupulous business men and women in the past.
The highpoint of the occasion was the distribution of CPC sensitization/awareness handbills and fliers with various inscriptions to educate the Consumers.
So far, the campaign team has visited many communities and churches too numerous to mention, with many other communities yet to be visited.
