Irukera, Blazing The Trail In Consumer Protection -By Isaac Asabor

There is no denying the fact that prior to the appointment of Mr. Babatunde Irukera in 2017 as the Director-General of the then Consumer Protection Council (CPC), that what Consumer Protection entails was unarguably difficult for most Nigerians to comprehend. Aptly put, the dynamics of consumerism seemed challenging to easily grasp with. However, with Irukera’s sterling leadership disposition, particularly from January 30, 2019 when he started overseeing the transition and operationalisation of the Commission, that was when the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) was enacted, comprehending the importance of Consumer Protection to consumers, undoubtedly became simple.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to say that consumer protection as an area of human endeavours did not fortuitously became simplified. Rather, accolades should be showered on Irukera as he has consistently placed high priority on the rights of consumers from the day he assumed duty in 2017 as the then DG. As opined by most Nigerians, particularly those that are tagged as “watch dogs” by virtue of their profession, Journalism, it is possible that Irukera might had shunned the template of doing the same thing which, according to Albert Einstein, automatically leads to achieving the same, or better still, failure in this context. Nonetheless, he is a man that does not condone failure, he abhors it.

For the sake of clarity, it is expedient to ask, “What is Consumer Protection?” Rather than respond to the foregoing question from definitional perspective, it is expedient to answer it from descriptive point of view as it would be self-explanatory.

Thus, it suffices to say that “Consumer protection safeguards the well-being and interests of consumers through education, mobilization and representation. Consumer protection ensures that consumers make well-informed decisions about their choices and have access to effective redress mechanisms. It also pushes for businesses to guarantee the quality of the products and services they offer.

In order to have a functional consumer protection system, has through his good offices ensured that the government, businesses and consumers work together, and ensuring that the government puts in place adequate policies, laws and regulations to ensure that consumers are protected from harmful business practices. Since his assumption office as the number one consumer protector, there also has been an effective interplay and coordination between the FCCPC and other relevant institutions on consumer protection landscape.

Also, since he came on board at the commission he has committedly been ensuring that businesses refrain from fraudulent or unfair conduct that misleads or negatively affects consumers, while in turn ensuring that consumers are well-informed about their rights and that they are able to proactively assert them.

In carrying out his constitutional duties, he has always been seen in rolled up sleeves, and literarily hitting the ground running with his team to where erring manufacturers and service providers can be found. As in the aspect of informing the public on issues that are consumer rights-related, he has never relented on provision of consumer education to his targets. For the sake of clarity, “Consumer education provides the public with the information it needs on products and services so it can make well-informed decisions on what it is purchasing and from whom it purchases. It helps consumers understand their rights and become active participants in the buying process. Consumer education ensures that companies are held accountable by governing agencies and the consumers that use their products and services”.

On account of consumer education being a fundamental factor in consumer protection, Irukera has always been on the move ensuring that consumers are adequately educated on issues that usually come up in the course of interacting with sellers and service providers. As such, the Commission, under his leadership, engages in routine and periodic consumer education to inform consumers; both at the low end and high end of the market that cut across the country of their rights, available enforcement mechanisms and how to use the processes.

Another vital aspect of consumer education which has not provoked Irukera and his team to resort to resting on their oars is that of providing information about key market developments such as advisories, warnings, recalls and similar interventions. The Commission, under his leadership, has consistently been conducting numerous specific and general awareness campaigns.

Just yesterday, his office, FCCPC, issued a Statement that it has no power to regulate consumer prices. Irukera, who is the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission said in Abuja that this was because the agency was not a price regulator and that Nigeria was operating a free market economy. Aptly put, he always carry consumers and other stakeholders in the sector along.

He said the law establishing the commission had a limited provision on price regulation which, if even it allowed the government to get involved in prices, required the commission to conduct research and make a recommendation to the President for a limited time of controlling price in a specific sector.
Irukera said, “When the President accepts the recommendation and adopts it, it will be gazetted. It will only be for a limited period of time. Other than that, we don’t regulate price.”

Not only has FCCPC under his leadership been ensuring that consumers get the best from vendors, he has been urging companies to be responsible and responsive to customer care services. As he has often reiterated, companies are more accessible and easier to find than private individuals because individuals want to make a profit.

Irukera said, “Companies for all its inefficiencies is more accessible, easier to find than private individuals who just sell to make a profit.

Not only that, he has always passed his message across that industry must prioritise responsiveness and responsibility to their customers, buttressing the fact that customers’ responsiveness is a core to business and FCCPC owes this as a responsibility.
He has always said that the media is a critical infrastructure in the constitution obligation of the government to protect the consumers’ interest, and that what FCCPC’s leadership intends to achieve is to educate people of their rights”.

Given his achievements so far in consumer protection, it is expedient Nigerians rally round him and his team for him to continue consolidating on his several landmark achievements.