CRS Govt Celebrate World Consumer Rights Day, Recognize Key Players

The Cross River State Government have commemorated the World Consumer Rights Day on Saturday 15th March, 2025, aligning with the global theme "A Just Transition To Sustainable Lifestyle", which emphasized the necessity of making sustainable and healthy lifestyle choices accessible and affordable for all consumers.

In his keynote address, the director general of the agency Prince Charles Ushie Ph.D asserted that, the world consumer rights day is used to reinforce consumer rights with shared commitment to ensuring fairness ,safety and justice in the market places. Added that the theme of the year which is "A Just Transition To Sustainable Lifestyle" highlights the urgent need to make sustainable lifestyle a choice, available and affordable to all consumers. He established that the consumer protection agency plays a pivotal role in safeguarding consumer interest in ensuring business growth and ethical standard to provide quality goods and services with the highest level of safety.

In a paper presentation, a personnel of the federal competition and consumer protection commission (fccpc) Hon. Emeka Anyanwu stated that, consumer protection is all encompassing therefore everyone has the right to contribute collectively to consumer protection. He emphasized the rights of the consumer include, compensation to consumer for poor services received from service providers ranging from Road transport companies, flight operators, electronic and other consumables manufacturers and the hospitality industry.

Mrs. Felicia Okon, a lecturer from college of health technology calabar who delivered a lecture on the effect of consuming fake and expired products, illustrated methods of detecting substandard and expired products. She urged the public to abstain from counterfeit and expired products a day after the expiration expiration date, as the consumption of pharmaceutical products, beverages, cosmetics and packed food after expiration poses threat to human health.

The director for consumer education in the agency Dr Mrs.Kanabe Uba , counselled the public on food preservation in their homes, further charging them to cooperate with the agency at all times, reaching and carrying out their rights and responsibilities as consumers.

Hon. John Otu, a guest at the event appraised the Cross River consumer protection agency for the lifesaving services  they are carrying out, charged Government to furnish the agency with efficient operational gadgets, vehicles and office accomodations across the State. He also complained of extortion from cooperate bodies such as network service providers and flight operators, including market unions and called for government intervention.

The event also featured recognition of excellence in consumer services through the presentation of consumer protection ambassador and consumer service awards to key players in the industry,  including, the Chairman of hoteliers association in Cross River State Dr. Charles Ogar, Dr. Henry Okweh CEO of Arubah Hospital, the Cross River State commandant of the Nigerian security and civil defense corps(NSCDC) Dr. Charles Brown,the managers of spar market, Crispy chicken, Alyce ice, Marian hotel and crunchies fried chicken all doing business in Cross River State.