WSRD 2019: Stakeholders chart course for more effective consumer rights protection

IT was another opportunity for stakeholders in the nation’s integrated marketing communications sector to take consumerism a bit higher, as they converged, in clusters, all over Lagos,  to celebrate this year’s World Consumer Rights’ Day, tagged  “Trusted Smart Products”, held last Friday,  March 15.

The World Consumer Rights Day was first marked in 1962, in the United States of America, when the then president of the United States of America, John F.Kennedy, formally addressed the issue of consumer rights, in the country, for the first time.

Perhaps, nothing attests to the increasing popularity of the global event, in this part of the globe, than the flurry of activities witnessed in Lagos metropolis  to mark the day.

For instance,  a day before the commemoration,  the  Lagos State government ,  through its Ministry of  Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, had made its intention to be part of the activities marking the Day, known.

The Commissioner, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye,  at a media briefing to intimate the public of the ministry’s plans,  for the  World Consumer Rights Day, prior to the event, had  assured that the state government would ensure that  consumers in the state, enjoy full benefits of smart products even from the first use after purchase.

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Oladunjoye noted that the  incorporation of  smarter products into people’s lives had thrown up issues such as  lack of security, safety and transparency; limited data privacy and protection and other challenges, a development, she said, had become worrisome for consumers and stakeholders.

“These issues have brought to the fore the need to develop consumer protection frameworks that promote trust starting from consumer education.

“It is our belief that all manufacturers would take cognizance of the rights and interests of consumers of smart products from the point of production up to the point of purchase,” she stated.

She added that this year’s  World Consumer Rights Day presents the state government, through  the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), an opportunity to celebrate the day and lend its voice to the promotion of trusted smart products.

Interestingly, the agency decided to walk the talk exactly a day after the press briefing. During a sensitization walk from its Allen Office to Ikeja Computer Village, organized by the agency, and led by its board chairman, Mrs. Olufunmilola Falana and its General Manager, Mrs. Olukemi Olugbode, the agency took time to stop  at strategic bus stops, to enlighten  residents on the activities of the agency and the need for those residents to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the agency, whenever their rights are being flouted.

“You have every right under the law to seek redress whenever your rights are flouted as a consumer. That is why the Lagos State government has created this agency. It is meant to make sure you are not cheated as a consumer. It is meant to entertain whatever complaints you have a consumer. If you have issues with your landlord or any of these power distributing companies, feel free to come to us. And if yours is about a product or service that doesn’t meet the promised standards, our doors are open,” Mrs. Falana stated.

She  enumerated other consumer issues the agency can handle, while encouraging those with complaints to feel free to visit the agency’s office, or present such complaints through any of the agency’s online platforms.

Perhaps the climax was the agency’s meeting with stakeholders at the Computer Village, as part of activities marking the day.

The agency’s  General Manager, Mrs. Kemi Olugbode explained  that the  walk, was designed to sensitise residents of the state to the activities of the agency.

She stated  that the choice of Computer Village was informed by the fact  that  the market provides an opportunity for the agency to meet relevant stakeholders in the smart products business,  especially the leadership of the market, since the market remains the hub of smart products business in the state.

But, while the agency was busy sensitizing the public on the streets of Lagos on the day, the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria,  was also organizing  a special symposium,  designed to mark the day and deepen consumerism in Nigeria, in another part of the city.

According to the association’s Chairman, Mr. Princewill Ekwujuru, the association had found it imperative to be part of the celebration to further deepen consumerism in the country.

“The association had, in the  last six years, been a part and parcel of this annual occasion for the global celebration of consumer rights and solidarity within the global consumer movement.

“For us, this has become imperative. It is a known fact that despite the increasing incidents of consumer rights abuse in the country, the average Nigerian consumers can not be said to know their rights. There is the need to address this yawning gap, and what we are doing now is one of the efforts at achieving that,” he stated.

Delivering a lecture at the event, the Chief Executive Officer, Millward Brown Nigeria, Mrs. Ugo Geri-Robert, stressed the need for brands to properly bond with their consumers, so as to elicit trust from such consumers.

She argued that it would be practically impossible for brands to earn the trust of their consumers, without proper bonding, since they would not be able to properly ascertain the needs of such consumers.

“Trust only comes when a brand understands the real needs of its consumers and it is coming up with different offerings, aimed at meeting those needs,” she stated.