By GINIKA OKOYE

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has constituted a joint market monitoring taskforce to eliminate unsafe products and obnoxious business practices in FCT markets.

Inaugurating the taskforce in Abuja on Wednesday, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Mr Tunji Bello, said that the move was in line with the FCCPC Act.

Bello was represented by Mrs Boladale Adeyinka, the Director, Surveillance and Investigations Department of the Commission.

He said that the Act mandated the commission to seek ways of removing hazardous and unsafe products from the markets.

He said that the move also underscored FCCPC’s commitment toward protecting consumers and promoting business competitiveness in the market.

According to him, the taskforce which is the first phase will involve market executives from four market, including Wuse, Utako, Garki International, and Garki Modern Markets.

He said that the taskforce would also be constituted in all markets across the country to curb anti-competitive practices.

“It is no news that our markets are flooded with fake, counterfeit and substandard consumer products that are not-fit for intended purposes or clearly unsafe or injurious to consumer welfare.

“At a time when both consumers and businesses are experiencing economic challenges, getting value for money expended on products has becomes very imperative.

“Section 17 of the FCCP Act mandates the commission to seek ways and means of removing hazardous and unsafe products from our markets.

“The Act also empowers the commission to eliminate obnoxious and unscrupulous business and marketing practices that are deceptive, unfair and misleading,” he said.

He said that such practices included anti-competitive practices that substantially prevent or lessen competition in our markets.

“The commission, in delivering its mandate, prioritises cooperation and collaboration with key stakeholders for greater success.

“Effective market monitoring operations requires all hands to be on deck.

“Regulators and market executives or market union leaders need to come together as a team to make our market work for all,” he said.

Presenting the terms of reference of the taskforce, Mr Marvin Nadah, the Deputy Director, Surveillance and Investigation, FCCPC, said that the taskforce would gather intelligence on misleading, unfair and deceptive marketing, trading and business practices.

Nadah said that the taskforce was saddled with the responsibility of carrying out overt or covert routine surveillance and inspections within the market.

He said that it would conduct inspections of consumer products sold in the market for any possible violation of the FCCP Act.

“Other responsibilities are removing or seizing, if necessary, seal up shops, warehouses or outlets containing products that are unsafe for consumption or substandard goods.

Musa Shelleng, the Head Monitoring and Enforcement of Abuja Market Management Ltd., appealed to FCCPC to adequately sensitise the traders before embarking on enforcement.

According to him, it is not every trader that wants to cut corners except the ones that do not understand how markets operate in the FCT.

”You must tell traders what to do and what not to do before the enforcement,” he said.

Mr Paul Nnamani, Chairman of Gariki Modern Market Traders Association, said that the market executives would work with the commission to weed the off obnoxious practices.

He said that the information from the commission would be conveyed to traders in the markets.

Mr Nelson Onwuemeodo, the Chairman, Utako Market Association, stressed the need for the commission to establish its offices in all the states and Local Government Areas of the country.

Onwuemeodo said that establishing the offices in states would help the commission curb unscrupulous practices of traders in states.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the taskforce would also be established in all markets, including the ones located in satellite towns of the FCT. (NAN)