Ogun State House of Assembly on Wednesday held stakeholders' public hearing on a 'bill for a law to establish the Ogun State Consumer Protection Agency with aims of settling consumers' disputes , protecting their interests against harmful products and other related matters
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.
Speaker of the house, Right Honourable Oludaisi Elemide, gave the assurance, while declaring open the stakeholders forum attended by relevant stakeholders and concerned individuals during the public hearing at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
According to the Speaker, the enormous responsibility to protect the consumers against marketing of good and services which are hazardous could not be overemphasized, hence the need for the bill.
He noted that 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.
"Distinguished honourable members, ladies and gentlemen, let me inform you that this bill has been extensively debated at the plenary session held on the floor of the Hallowed Chamber, so that the House, as partners in progress, could support the present administration in its mission to improve the living standards f its citizens, through appropriate legislation.
This meeting therefore, is one of the constitutional duties of this Honourable House, which is aimed at ensuring that this bill has necessary impetus and legislative credence towards achieving its desired objectives", he stated.
Earlier in his speech, the Minority Leader of the Assembly, who is also the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, noted that the bill was aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of the consumers which included right to complete information about inequality, quality, potency, purity, standard and prices of goods and services as the case may be so as to protect consumers against unfair trade practices.
He added that consumers had right to redress against unscrupulous exploitation, assuring that when operational, the bill would enable the State Government put in place necessary machinery to protect the rights and interest of consumers in the State.
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.
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