By Peter Amine
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is sensitising secondary school students in Plateau on consumer rights and enforcement.
The FCCPC Consumer and Business Education Officer, Mrs Bridget Etim said the initiative was to educate them on their rights and responsibilities as consumers of products and services.
Etim, who stated this on Wednesday in Jos during a sensitisation visit to schools, said that many Nigerians were unaware of their rights as consumers.
The consumer and business education officer emphasised that rather than insisting on their rights as enshrined in FCCPC Law, many consumers prefer to grumble without definite action.
She emphasised that the overall reason for the enlightenment campaign was to inculcate the concept of demanding and insisting on their rights as consumers of products and services.
“Today we have visited five schools to sensitize them, educate them on their rights, and also inaugurate the young consumer club in the various schools.
“And to also inform them that the commission has a national contest we organize every year.
“It is to get them prepared that any moment from now, they will be called upon to participate in the National Young Consumer Club.
“We want to catch them young. We want a situation whereby the young ones get to know their rights and responsibilities as consumers, so they will grow with it,” she added.
The principal of Government Senior Secondary School (GSS) Kufang, Mrs Nansing Emmanuel, said that her school was privileged to benefit from the programme.
Emmanuel said that most of the students, including teachers, were not familiar with FCCPC and the law.
The principal alluded to the fact that sometimes consumers buy things and discover that they are fake or not what they want but find it difficult to return them.
“If you take it back, nobody will take it. So I think today they know that there are people who can fight for them if there are such things.
“I think we are very privileged to have this. You talked about, they talked about having clubs, consumer protection clubs.
The principal of Founders High School, Jos, Mrs Folorunso Olajumoke, promised that the school would continue with sensitisation exercise.
Olajumoke stated that the school would give the materials provided by FCCPC to the students so that their parents could see them.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the schools visited by the team included GSS Kufang, Mutka Future Hope Academy, COCIN Secondary School Dadin Kowa Jos, and Elohim Private School Jos.
Others were; Founders High School Jos and Government College Jos. Rhemaville College, Air Force Girls Jos, Esteem Standard High School, Government Secondary School Laranto and Al-iman School. NAN
