The Centre for Consumer Concerns and Awareness Initiatives (CCAI) has experienced concerns over series of engagements on exploitative pricing of consumer goods, organised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
It noted that the agency may fail to achieve its goal.
The group expressed its concern via a press statement on Sunday, 15 September, 2024.
It noted that the current price inflation affecting consumer goods and services in the country is intolerable urging the Federal Government and FCCPC under Mr Tunji to take decisive steps to combat it.
The CCAI statement read:
“As a vocal consumer protection organisation, the CCCAI has relentlessly campaigned against consumer exploitation in our economy’s retail and service sectors, while also advocating for a multi-stakeholder approach to the issue.
“We recall that the FCCPC held a similar conversation on fair pricing in 2023, which yielded no practical results. One prominent cause for this was the FCCPC’s failure to form a steering committee consisting of both governmental and not-for-profits to properly execute the proposed solutions. After observing the latest stakeholder engagement in Lagos, we feel it may end in the same way the previous one did.
“On this point, the CCCAI notes that the current price inflation affecting consumer products and services is intolerable, and it urges the Federal Government and the FCCPC led by Mr. Olatunji Bello to take decisive measures to combat it. It is well known that truck drivers transporting food and other supplies endure many extortions on our roadways from both state and non-state actors, while they continue to pay unlawful levies to unions and market leaders at the point of delivery.
“More concerning is the revelation by traders to our team that the tapestry of this extortion includes even traditional and community leaders. The market leaders’ aggressive reactions to a speaker at the Lagos edition of the FCCPC engagement exposed their complicity in price gouging, price fixing, and unlawful levy imposition.
On the way forward, we ask President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate his commitment to ending the suffering of Nigerians by removing barriers to the free flow of agricultural produce and other consumer goods. For starters, we advise the government to impose price controls on some consumer goods. In addition, the FCCPC should facilitate a more robust and inclusive stakeholder forum, as well as a steering committee to carry out action plans.
“In doing so, the Centre asks the government to take the initiative in creating storage facilities while also ensuring increased electricity supply. To ensure a steady food supply, the federal and state governments should strengthen farmer’s cooperatives and others in the value chain by giving easy access to finance and enacting regulations that allow them to prosper.
Similarly, we urge the government to implement strategic food reserve programs while increasing the ability of food processing enterprises throughout the food supply chain”.
