CPC Moves against Consumer Abuses in Power, Healthcare, Banking Sectors

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has vowed to end arbitrary charges imposed on consumers by the electricity, healthcare and banking sectors.

Director General of CPC, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, who made the pledge at a recent interactive session with journalists in Lagos, listed the electricity, banking and the healthcare sectors as among the agency’s priority industries that have recorded the highest incidence of consumer abuses.

He said priority attention would be given to these sectors that impose on consumers, arbitrary charges that are not commensurate with the quality of services rendered.

The CPC boss emphatically stated that banks and power distribution companies would now be held liable for such arbitrary charges going forward.

Irukera stated that ahead of CPC’s plan to address these abuses, the management has already commenced the process of building a strong consensus with the various stakeholders on the need to stem the misdeeds of service providers against consumers.

He also restated the agency’s commitment to deal with peddlers of adulterated and substandard products in the country in line with its mandate to give consumers value for their money.

Specifically, he said that the CPC under his watch would confront producers and marketers of substandard goods and would be collaborating with other government agencies, consumer advocacy groups and the general public to bring enduring reforms that would make customers the king of the market place.

Irukera said: “The healthcare space is the most tragic in Nigeria, because healthcare practitioners do whatever they like and many families have suffered direly for such unprofessional conducts. For this reason, we are working on a ‘Patients Bill of Right” which would make people know their right. This would be pasted in public and private hospitals across the country to let medical practitioners know that they can’t do whatever they want with their patients and get away with it.

He therefore urged business owners to prioritise consumer protection as a strategic factor in protecting brand, businesses, building confidence and corporate growth.

The CPC boss stated that customer satisfaction remains the most vital pillar of loyalty and trust, adding that customer service could not be supplementary to business; rather it must be at the heart of business and operations.

According to Irukera, President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration recognises the role of businesses and their CEOs in economic expansion and would always listen to “credible, genuine, fair-minded, and society committed investments.

Consumer protection regulatory challenge in any part of the world, he further noted, could damage a brand globally; therefore companies should “prioritise consumer protection in dealing with consumer protection authorities”.

He stated that CPC would introduce a more efficient system with the right technology that would ensure that companies were the primary point of resolution.

The Director-General explained that there was need for a mandatory Corporate Obligatory Responsibility (COR) as customer service and consumer protection, adding that it formed a vibrant combination of the best possible brand and reputational investment, and that fairness and customer satisfaction was important to maintain reputation and eliminate distrust in business.

“When customer service is at its best, consumers are truly happy, spending is up, economic indicators are encouraging; my job is done, your performance is assured, and your brands endure.

“Consumer satisfaction is a means to a commercial end, and for CPC, it is an end in itself and fulfillment of a constitutional duty.”

He advised that consumers be treated fairly and equally, irrespective of their location.

He added: “It is only when that fails that complaints will escalate to the CPC, except in serious or industry wide situations or abuses that require major and urgent immediate intervention.

“CEOs are hereby encouraged to ensure their companies adopt the comprehensive system and key into it when it goes live.”