As part of its efforts aimed at ensuring the satisfaction of consumers in Lagos, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) said it has recovered a total of N172,615,484.59 (One Hundred and Seventy-Two Million, Six Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty-Four Naira, Fifty Nine Kobo), and $30,250 (Thirty Thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars), for consumers, whose rights were violated between 2019 till date.
The agency’s General Manager, Mr Adebayo Solebo made the disclosure at the closing ceremony of this year’s edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair, held in Lagos, on Sunday.
He stated that the funds served as compensation and outright refund of payment for returned substandard goods, products and services for various categories of consumers.
Some of the categories, he added, include Automobiles: transportation, Banking and Finance, and Foods and Beverages, among many others.
The LASCOPA boss also stated that the company had, within the period, instituted a total number of 25 cases against erring stores, companies and individuals who failed to comply with consumer protection rights laws.
He explained that while 12 out of those cases had been adjudicated and closed, the remaining 13 are still being prosecuted in the law courts.
As part of the agency’s vision and mandate towards ensuring that its activities are further extended to the grass root, Solebo added that the agency had established additional annexe offices at Badagry Local Government Secretariat, Bariga Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area Secretariat, in addition to the already existing Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat and recently Ojo Local Government Secretariat.
According to him, LASCOPA had, between 2019 and till date, through its mediation sessions, received 6,244 complaints, out of which 5,909 were resolved.
In his remarks, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Asiwaju Michael Olawale-Cole, expressed the Chamber’s appreciation to the Lagos State government and the organized private sector for making this year’s edition of the fair a huge success.
“We have endeavoured to ensure a hitch-free and successful fair. However, as in most human endeavours, there may have been some areas for improvement, which we have taken note of such as feedback into the strategy for the 2023 edition,” the LCCI boss added.
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