The Director General, Imo State Consumer Protection council, Hon. Mrs Obioma Okafor stated this on Saturday when she featured in 60 minutes live programme of NTA Chanel 12 Owerri, anchored by Anthony Madu.
While speaking on the programme, the DG assured imolites that the agency is making a concerted efforts towards reducing the price of satchet water, popularly known as pure water, as well as other commodities within the next few weeks, in imo State.
According to Mrs Okafor, the move is to protect the interest of consumers in the state. She further lamented that the sharp increase in the prices of commodities over the past couple of months has raised serious concerns about the survival of the citizens. She pointed out that Covid-19 pandemic really affected the economies of many nations and Nigeria is not exempted.
The CPC boss, also disclosed that the agency under the shared prosperity government of Senator Hope Uzodimma is taking a serious steps to reduce the prices of some items in the market. “We have been intouch with the leadership of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) and the executives of other associations, like Master Bakers, grain dealers etc, to address some critical issues that borders on increase in price, quality and production cost. “I can assure you, very soon the prices of some commodities, particularly pure water will jump down”. We are very mindful of the fact that some unscrupulous business men and women may likely take advantage of the situation to cut corners by producing and selling substandard products to unsuspecting consumers at a cheaper rate.
Although the current situation poses alot of challenges on several fronts, Imo CPC is genuinely taking some effective and coherent steps to help the most vulnerable people in the short term, while working to stabilize the prices of all the commodities in the long term.
It is worthy to note that, the Governor of imo State, Most Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma is passionate about the Protection of the rights of consumers in the state and that is why immediately he assumed office as the executive Governor of imo State, he took a bold step to revive the moribund, abandoned and delapidated consumer protection council. Moving forward, the governor gave an express approval for the standard measurement cups to be use by all the traders in selling Rice, Beans, Garri and other grains in imo State. With this, the council also got approval from Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment under the Department of Weight and Measures. The measurement cups was launched by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma during this year’s consumers rights day. “And by God’s grace, in the next few months from now, the council will roll out the cups into the markets and task the various market associations to circulate it, to ensure that no imolite is shortchanged in any way.
We must appreciate the fact that Consumer Protection is an indespensable component of the 3’R’ initiative of Gov. Hope Uzodimma in imo State. The council, having been energized by the capacity Governor of imo State, the council has maintained routine visits to all the major markets in imo State to eliminate unwholesome, expired or unbranded products from both the open markets and even supermarkets in imo State.
Recently, the council publicly destroyed expired, adulterated and unbranded products or products without NAFDAC number, no manufacturing dates or expiration dates, worth millions of Naira, which was confiscated by the council’s enforcement team. This exercise took place on the 28th May 2021 at avu junction dumping site, along Owerri Phorthacourt road, imo State.
We have done alot of sensitization and awareness campaign since one year the present administration came on board, to ensure that citizens are aware of their basic rights as consumers. We have gone round the three senatorial districts in imo State on sensitization and awareness campaign.
