By Goddie Ofose/Lagos
Talks of consumer rights abuse, and counter talks, dominated proceedings when government officials, marketing executives and advocacy personnel converged in Lagos recently to brainstorm on the rights of consumers.
Mediacraft Associates PR Managing Director, John Ehiguese (left), Salako, Oyeyemi and Tamu
The discussants were MTN General Manager (Consumer Marketing), Kola Oyeyemi, who was the guest speaker; Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Lagos office head, Tam Tamunokonbia; and Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON) President, Sola Salako.
Unilever Nigeria Brand Building Director, David Okeme; and CMC Connect (Perception Managers) Chief Executive Officer, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; were also among.
They spoke at a symposium organised by the Brands Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN).
Oyeyemi affirmed that the consumer is at liberty to accept or reject a product or service targeted at him, which puts manufacturers and service providers at a disadvantage, since the consumer has a plethora of alternatives to choose from.
Oyeyemi said Nigerian consumers are among the most protected across the world by several government agencies.
He named the agencies to include the Ministry of Information Technology, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and Consumer Protection Council (CPC).
He complained that service providers, especially in the telecommunications sector, are over regulated by agencies which make money from levies, sanctions and fines.
Oyeyemi, who is also the President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria, (ADVAN), said despite the difficulties of doing business in the country, regulators daily sanction service providers for failing to fulfil obligations.
He warned that manufacturers and service providers are endangered because no government agency looks after their interest.
Dissatisfied consumers quickly move to a competing brand, compelling manufacturers and service providers to produce quality materials at low prices to remain in business, Oyeyemi added.
At the rate at which regulators dish out sanctions, service providers may begin to fold up in the coming years, he warned.
Okeme agreed with Oyeyemi. He lamented government’s apathy to the real sector and pointed out that no country can survive when manufacturing is dead.
According to Okeme, despite the numerous factors affecting manufacturers, they remain committed even to consumers who want quality at cheap price.
He gave an instance of how his company had to increase the size of a product for the same price to remain competitive.
He urged the government to change its policy and attitude to the real sector so that struggling companies will not fold up, stressing that manufacturers and service providers deserve as much protection as consumers.
Salako sympathised with manufacturers and service providers but insisted that their plight is not enough reason to exploit “helpless” consumers.
To cover costs, she said, manufacturers and service providers resort to tricks to cheat consumers, which account for the huge profit in the telecommunications sector despite complaint of harsh economic environment.
To her, every consumer deserves the right to get quality service for payment already made and no excuse can suffix.
Salako disagreed that consumers are protected by regulators which merely collect fees and fines from defaulting manufacturers and service providers without making compensation to consumers.
She advocated compensation for consumers who suffer the problem for which sanctions are paid.
But Tamunokonbia countered that the CPC is doing its best to protect consumers and takes steps to enlighten them on their rights and how to insist on those rights.
Service providers get away with things because consumers often do not know how to seek redress, he said.
In his view, the best way to check abuses is for consumers to forward complaints to the CPC.
BJAN Chairman, Goodie Ofose, urged stakeholders to ensure that the interest of everyone – manufacturers, service providers and consumers – are well protected because it is the only way the country can make progress.