By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The nomination of a respected consumer rights advocate, Mrs Sola Salako-Ajulo, as member of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (FCCPT) has been confirmed by the Senate.
The confirmation was done on Wednesday when the upper chamber of the National Assembly held its session in Abuja with the Senate President, Mr Ahmad Lawan, presiding.
Mrs Salako-Ajulo, who is president/founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, was among the six persons confirmed as members of the panel.
The Senate also confirmed the nomination of Mrs Saratu Mama Shafii as chairman of the FCCP tribunal during plenary today.
Business Post reports that the other five nominees confirmed by the red chamber of the parliament on Wednesday as members of the tribunal were George Chukwuma Mbonu, Thomas Okosun, Umar Dauda Duhu, Mr Ibrahim El-Yakubu and Kenneth Tersoo.
The tribunal would be saddled with the responsibility of looking into cases relating to consumer rights and companies in the country.
Speaking after the confirmation of the FCCP tribunal today, the Senate President congratulated them and wished “them the best of tenure.”
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is an organisation established by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 to develop and promote fair, efficient and competitive markets in the Nigerian economy.
It also has the mandate to facilitate the access by all citizens to safe products, and secure the protection of rights for all consumers in Nigeria.
According to the FCCPC, it uses different mechanisms to resolve complaints filed by aggrieved consumers which can be received “in diverse ways including online, in person, in writing and multiple social media platforms.”
“Most complaints are resolved using one or more of our resolution tools, such as direct engagement, negotiations, mediation, conciliation, investigations, administrative hearings and collaboration with other regulators.
“Investigations and hearings usually occur when a market intervention becomes compelling, or conduct is egregious or indicative of a pattern or widespread infraction,” the agency said on its website.
