Juliet Uduji
As the world Economy slipped towards a parallel line after the Outbreak of Covid19 pandemic, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) has promised to Partner Standard Organization Of Nigeria(SON), National Agency For Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), against price gouging.
The Chief Executive officer FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, made this known in an exclusive interview recently, stating that the organization will continue with its strong surveillance and enforcement efforts to curtail excessive increases in prices that exploit consumers.
According to him, the organization will not stop working with other regulators such as SON and NAFDAC for both standards and quality standpoints.
“We will continue our strong surveillance and enforcement efforts to ensure that claims by manufacturers and service providers are verifiable and honest.
” We will continue to challenge those who raise prices in a manifestly unjust and unreasonable manner as well work with other regulators such as SON and NAFDAC to ensure products in the market are duly registered from both standards and quality standpoints”
“We have pursued an aggressive enforcement effort against price gouging which is profiteering or excessive increases in prices that exploit consumers.
” We have also created a Covid 19 taskforce which includes relaxing competition regulation rules to promote and ensure small business and consumers are able to operate and get access to the goods and services they need at fair prices and with acceptable quality”.
Meanwhile, rating the Federal governments effort in tackling the deadly virus, Irukera said Nigeria has provided strong Leadership through its organization NCDC which has done a remarkable job.
“Nigeria has provided strong leadership, and the NCDC has done a remarkable job in this respect. Governors like Lagos state and Kaduna have also provided inspirational leadership in taking control of the situation. The private sector has also been outstanding in collaborating and contributing to containment and therapeutic measures”.
He therefore encouraged the government to look inward for a locally made vaccine in the battle against the virus.
“I think there is certainly an opportunity to develop a homegrown antidote to Covid19, and of course participate in the global search for an acceptable vaccine”.
Advising Business owners on which measures to take post Covid19 pandemic, from a consumer protection standpoint, business owners to understand and respect the reopening and new ongoing operational measures to promote public health.
” Clearly Covid19 has changed the way we live for a long time to come. From a consumer protection standpoint, we expect business owners to understand and respect the reopening and new ongoing operational measures. This includes basic hand washing and sanitizing etiquettes, face masks and measuring temperatures for access and patronage both of their employees and customers, including strict compliance with social distancing principles or guidance “. He said
Credit:Observers Times