The Ogun State House of Assembly has held a stakeholders’ public hearing on a Bill for a law to establish the Ogun State Consumer Protection Agency.
The Bill seeking to create avenue for settling consumers’ disputes, protecting their interests against harmful products and other related matters, was sponsored by the house minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye.
The house assured that the Bill after being passed, would protect consumers against marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to lives, thus protect the well-being of the society.
Hon. Adeleye said the Bill includes right to complete information about inequality, quality, potency, purity, standard and prices of goods being sold and services rendered and patronised within the territorial space of Ogun State to guard against unfair trade practices.
He added that consumers have right to seek redress against unscrupulous trade practices and exploitation, assuring that when operational, the bill would enable the State Government put in place necessary machinery to protect the rights and interests of consumers in the State.
Declaring open the stakeholders forum on Wednesday, July 17, which had in attendance relevant stakeholders and concerned individuals at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Speaker of the house, Right Honourable Oludaisi Elemide said the meeting, is one of the constitutional duties of the House to ensure that the bill has necessary impetus and legislative credence towards achieving its desired objectives.
He said the house of assembly is poised to support the present administration in its mission to improve the living standards of its citizens, through appropriate legislation.
According to the Speaker, the forum would provide an avenue for stakeholders to participate in an elaborate discussion and robust deliberation, where the inputs gathered would be further considered by the House Committee on Industry, Trade and Investment to properly fine-tune them to form part of the Bill.
Stakeholders including the representatives of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Yinka Folarin, Community Education and Advancement of Peace Initiatives, Alhaji Sina Adefolahan, Director from the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Ola Ayeni, Dr. Olatunde Oluwadola and Mr. Ola Animashaun as well as Director of Legislative Drafting in the State Ministry of Justice, Barr. James Mafe, commended the State lawmakers for initiating the bill, saying that it would go a long way in promoting the health and overall well-being of consumers in the State.
