By Tope Musowo
Lagos
Lagos state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday inaugurated the board of Lagos state Consumer Protection Agency, with a pledge to protect the rights of consumers in the state and ensure they get value for money spent on goods and services.
Speaking at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja while inaugurating members of the board chaired by consumer rights advocate and lawyer, Mrs Olufunmilola Falana, Ambode said concerted efforts would be made to end the daily reported cases of violation of consumers’ rights in the state especially considering the vantage position of Lagos as the largest commercial market in sub-Sahara Africa.
He said the establishment of the board, aside from being another giant stride of his administration designed to guarantee the welfare of the people on a sustainable basis, was also meant to complement the reforms already embarked upon by the state government to ensure the ease of doing business in the state.
“The establishment of the consumer protection agency is a strong demonstration of our commitment to the protection of the rights of consumers, the promotion of consumer satisfaction in the state and our resolve to ensure that they get value for money spent on goods and services.
“The need for the agency has become more imperative in view of the fact that Lagos state, with its huge population, provides the largest commercial market in sub-Sahara Africa, with the highest reported cases of daily infractions on the consumer rights.
“The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency is therefore meant to complement our reforms on the ease of doing business in the State especially as it affects the development of the Industrial, Commercial and Consumer satisfaction value chain,” Ambode said.
While reeling out the terms of reference of the board, the governor said the agency had been designed to be an effective service centre for the protection of the interests of consumers, settlement of consumer disputes and for other connected purposes as enshrined in the Lagos state Consumer Protection Agency Law, Cap.C13, Laws of Lagos state, 2014.
