Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

A member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Lukman Olalekan Adeleye, says he has proposed and sponsored a Bill seeking to establish a State Consumer Protection Agency in order to protect the interests of buyers and consumers of goods in the state.

Adeleye, who is the Minority Leader of the House added that the bill which has scaled second reading on the floor of the House, if passed and signed into law, would also settle disputes and create value for resources of the consumers.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after leading the debate on the bill during a plenary session on Thursday, the lawmaker who is representing Odogbolu State Constituency, said the bill was initiated to domesticate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Ogun State towards entrenching the rights and privileges of consumers, thereby making producers of goods and services more responsible.

Adeleye explained further that the proposed law was meant to checkmate the sales of hazardous items, tackle consumer exploitation, regulate price and ensure that consumers seek legal redress, if not satisfied with the quality of goods and services rendered, noting that such would lessen economic hardship and burden on the consumers.

He disclosed that other lawmakers took turns to speak in favour of the bill titled: “State Consumer Protection Law, 2024” at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide.

According to him, his colleagues noted that the bill was a right step to protect the interest of consumers, whose wants and needs remained unlimited.

“The lawmakers including Adebisi Oyedele, Babatunde Tella, Seun Adesanya and Adeyanju Adegoke, while supporting the bill, cited instances of sales of counterfeit products, which needed to be addressed headlong.

“They commended the sponsor of the bill, describing it as a legislation that would bring sanity into commercial activities in the state, checkmating hazardous risk confronting consumers through adulterated products.

“The lawmakers condemned sharp and unethical practices being witnessed at the moment and they were of the consensus opinion that the bill when operational, would assist consumers in seeking legal redress when goods or services fail to meet consumers expectations”, Adeleye stated.