The Ogun State House of Assembly on Wednesday held a stakeholders’ public hearing on a ‘bill sponsored by the minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye 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.
The Minority Leader of the Assembly Hon. Lukman Adeleye, who is the sponsor of the bill 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 has the 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 interests of consumers in the State.
Declaring open the stakeholders forum attended by 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 Honourable 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.