The Country Director of Save the Consumers Initiative: Aliyu Ilias, congratulates Tunde Irukera on his Appointment as the new Director General of Consumer Protection Council on Tuesday 25th of July, 2017 during the courtesy Visit of Save The Consumers initiative to Consumer protection Council.
The meeting had in attendance the Director General, the directors and members of staffs of Consumer Protection Council, the Country Director and staffs of Save the Consumers Among others. The meeting was held to layout the successes and achievement of Save the Consumers and further solicit for their support and collaboration in needed areas.
During the Visit, the Country Director Dr Aliyu Ilias said, Save the Consumers NGO was at the public hearing of the House of Representatives to support the bill that seeks to establish a federal competition and consumer protection commission and tribunal for the development and promotion of fair, efficient and competitive market in Nigeria. Save the Consumers believe that the bill will establish a national administrative framework for consumer protection, remove regulatory overlap, create measures to forestall common unfair trade practices and deter indulgence by provider of goods and services.
He stated some of the different platforms which Save the Consumers Campaign is being carried out. Which are Nigeria Television Authority, African Independent Television, WE FM, HOT FM, social media and content publication on Blogs.
He went further by stating Save the Consumers projects: Radio program every Wednesday by 3:00PM on HOT on FM Abuja, Handbook: He said the handbook is to create awareness on consumers education for students and also to educate secondary school and tertiary institution on consumer related issues, basic consumer rights, functions of Consumer Protection Council, information and communication technology, safety, expiry date, best before date and the roles of Nigeria consumers. And also a dummy copy was forwarded to the Consumer Protection Council for endorsement. He said the handbook is meant to be shared free to students across Nigeria which their focus is Federal Capital Territory, Pleateau, Kano, Oyo, Anambra, Sokoto and Edo states. And he further talked about the upcoming Consumer Education and Protection Conference where they intend to bring together different stakeholders from both local and international organization with interest on consumer issues. The conference is scheduled for February 2018 in Abuja.
The Director General Consumer Protection Council, Barr. Tunde Irukera expressed satisfaction on the NGO’s Name “Save the Consumers” as an interesting name that captured the situation in Nigeria. And commended the effort of Save the Consumers Initiative and also made suggestions on the way forward of the NGO.
When fake drugs and products destroyed the lives of many, and consumers had no one to hold accountable, dubious business men continued to wreck havoc in the homes of many.
With the Coming of a determined Lady, the situation changed. Fake drugs started disappearing from chemists, fake food manufacturers started running away and pharmacies without proper licensing started disappearing. Quacks in the drugs industry were chased away. Consumers were safe again.
The dubious business people, whose only intention was to kill consumers, tried to kill the Legend on many occasions. But Nature wouldn't let that happen. She fought for the good of the consumers. She fought for you and I.
Today the war on fake drugs continues, but consumers must ever remain grateful to a woman, a Diva, a legend and a queen who stood up against fake drug and food manufacturers.
"Fake drugs are not good for your health, bad food products are not good for your health. Do not self medicate. Always visit a good hospital." She will always advice. She stood up against all the evil people in the drug business for the good of our society.
Anyone could have been a victim of fake drugs. Support save the consumers as we educate consumers about their consumer rights.www.savetheconsumers.org
WHY TEACH CONSUMER EDUCATION?
Save the consumers cares for the Nigerian Consumer. We all need consumer education on a variety of subject matters. The more we know about product safety, the better society becomes.
We live in a consumer society. Consumption is an important part of our everyday life and uses up a significant proportion of our money and of our time.
Yet, for some, the term Consumer Education has a negative overtone - encouraging people to consume more. To the contrary, Consumer Education is about promoting an understanding of the structures and systems within the market. Evidence suggests that many adults are not only unaware of how their individual consumer habits can affect the economy, the environment and society, but that many are also inadequately equipped to participate effectively in the market place. Consumer Education provides the insight necessary to develop citizens into responsible and intelligent acting consumers.
Educated consumers make better choices and because of their higher expectations, there is a positive effect on competitiveness as companies improve their products and services
Investing in our Future
Teaching consumer education is investing in our future: it means protecting, giving confidence and enhancing the accountability of tomorrow’s consumers. The numerous consumer education themes can be tackled in almost all traditional teaching subjects and curricula. Consequently, teachers are definitely the most suitable to provide consumer education and to help educate the consumers of tomorrow.
In an increasingly globalised world, awareness regarding your rights as a consumer is crucial to ensure protection, confidence and social responsibility while consuming. Given the fast development of the Internet, social media and online networks, teenagers are the most likely to suffer this lack of awareness.
Consumer Classroom provides a means for teachers to learn about consumer education themselves and to pass this invaluable information onto their students through cross curricular projects. This website will help teachers to give their students everyday examples of how to be a better consumer through interactive and engaging lessons.www.savetheconsumers.org
A philosopher once said " that the birth of a child signifies GODS desire for the world to continue without end." Children are the strength of the future. The mistakes of the past are to be made perfect in the minds of the children. Children are the torch bearers for a future unknown. To neglect a child or poorly develop a child, is to neglect the future of an economy. To embezzle funds meant for the empowerment of Children is to create a bleak future for the economy.
According to a recent united nations statistics, over 15 million children in Nigeria are victims of child labour, a further population of the children are poorly developed by parents and guardians. This statistics produces an unpalatable situation for our economy.
The quality of care children receive in a society ultimately defines how successful that society will be in years to come. Society cannot abandon its children, the abandoned children will in future harm the society that abandoned them. When children are not properly formed through sound moral etiquettes, and empowering societal values, the negative side of society will influence their minds to act otherwise.
Today, so many children have been converted by terrorists, armed gangs, political thugs, prostitutes, thieves, fraudsters and assassins.
There are many Nigerian kids who are exposed to harmful products. There are children who do not feed properly. There are many children who go to bed hungry, without hope of where food will come from the following day.
If poor services offered to children are allowed to continue, our society will be setting its self up for disaster. This is not a time to keep mute. If society is determined to move forward, developing the minds of children is Paramount. Developing a program for the development of children is inexcusable.
Society and leaders should be upset when a child who should be studying is hawking or engaged into force labour.
There are many Nigerian children who are ill prepared to handle the demands of the future. This is a call to all Nigerians. Our leaders, we need to think, we need to brainstorm. When we get our developmental structures for child care in the country, the rewards will be for society.
This is the time for a reform on children's welfare in Nigeria. State and local government authorities should be focused on improving the standard of empowerment and knowledge children are exposed to. The better exposed children are, the more civilised society becomes.
Let's celebrate the children's day to come by demanding better wellbeing for the Children of Nigeria. GOD bless the Nigerian Child.
As the world celebrates world environment day on the 5th of June, 2017, save the consumers is equally not left out in the celebration.
In connecting consumers to nature, we have decided to focus on sensitizing consumers in Nigeria about the dangers of open defecation and why it is important for us to stand up against it.
What is open defecation?
Open defecation refers to the practice whereby people go out in fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water, or other open spaces rather than using the toilet to empty solid wastes from the body.
It is true that toilet facilities are inadequate for so many Nigerians. UN statistics states that over 50 million Nigerians do not have access to clean toilets.
Defecating in public places destroys the beauty of nature. It also limits recreational spaces. Places with high defecation rates have limited visitation by tourists. Defecation also causes health challenges for children. Plants and water sources are contaminated as a result of open defecation.
Let's learn to use toilets. Above all, keeping them clean is paramount. So many people have formed the habit of defecating by corners of buildings, gutters, behind flowers and in uncompleted buildings.
Let's keep our environment beautiful. Let's learn to do the right things always. Demand that your community toilet is kept clean. Insist on public toilets kept clean at all times.
Good environment is your right as a consumer. A good environment helps consumers to live successfully.
A clean and healthy environment is the consumers paradise to successful living