‘It’s Time To Protect Consumers, Recognise They Are Kings’ – FCCPC Boss, Irukere

The Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council, Mr Babatunde Irukere, has said it’s time to protect consumers in the country and recognise they are the kings.

Irukere spoke exclusively with THE WHISTLER during the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, in Abuja.

He said the new policy drive is responsible for change in approach with far reaching consequences for companies abusing consumers’ rights.

Recently, the Council descended on loan sharks – organisations granting loans to the public through special apps with excessive interest in few weeks.

The Council had in joint operations raided at least seven digital loan companies operating in Ikeja, Lagos, for a “possible violation” of consumer rights.

The joint operations were carried out by the FCCPC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, and the Nigeria Police Force.

Irukere led the operation himself in response to several complaints of malpractices on the part of the lenders.

Some of the companies shut down during the operations were GoCash, Okash, EasyCredit, Kashkash, Speedy Choice, Easy Moni, owned by Blue Ridge.

Soko Loan, another lending company, was also shut down.

The council also ordered that the accounts of these money lenders be frozen.

Irukere said the Council also served orders on Google LLC (Play Store) and Apple Inc. (App Store) to take down some applications (Apps) being employed in violation of the rights of consumers.

He has also moved to protect consumers from abuse and unfair treatment by MultiChoice, a pay TV service provider.

After several complaints, Irukere said it became necessary to intervene to provide robust payment system for consumers especially in a monopolistic state in which the country is witnessing right under MultiChoice.

According to Irukere, “We will do what we can do and will ensure abuses are reduced and where reports come, we will deal with them accordingly.”

In it’s new operation guidelines issued to Multichoice, it called on the company to provide complete toll-free customer service lines which are operational 24 hours daily, and through which consumers may receive support concerning their use of the services offered.

These lines must be toll-free across networks, not only within the same networks as is presently the case.

Irukere advised consumers to know their rights and be on the look-out for abuses and promptly report where there are cases of such consumer rights violation.

The FCCPC in the last year has come down heavily on businesses with perchance for rights abuses.

To sanitise the system, it has evolved various mechanisms through legislation, dialogue, judicial pronouncement, restitution among others