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“Nothing improves standards more than consumers demanding it and asking questions” – Babatunde Irukera
Hours after the recent air mishap involving a Dana Air flight which overshot the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Babatunde Irukera was busy doing what he knows best: fighting for the prioritization of the rights of consumers. In a statement issued soon after the accident became public, Irukera, Director General of the Consumer Protection Council reassured the
Nigerian public that it was engaging positively with the airline and that the interest of those affected will not be swept under the carpet.
As a first step, while investigations into the incident were going on, the council directed the management of the airline to provide logistic support and accommodation for traumatized passengers in compliance with minimum standards under Nigerian Civil Aviation Rules.
Anyone familiar with Irukera would not be surprised by the prompt and result-oriented action taken by the CPC under his leadership. Even before he assumed duties as head of the key regulatory agency, the activist cum lawyer had earned a name for the passion and rigor with which he fought the cause of consumers at the receiving end of the wrong actions and inactions of greedy or careless manufacturers or service providers.
Five years before his appointment, he took on the case of a certain Mrs. Titilayo Akinsanya who was wrongfully disengaged by beverage giant, Coca-Cola. He won the case years after securing a N17 million settlement for the woman. It is also on record that Irukera played a strong role in attaining some level of parity between fares charged by British Airways for Nigerian travelers and their Ghanaian counterparts.
The current CPC Director General has brought a new refreshing energy to the agency which has boosted the confidence of stakeholders and the general public. Since his appointment nine months ago, Mr. Irukera has taken bold and decisive actions, implemented several initiatives and displayed a commitment to enforcing the rights of consumers and ensuring that they are not exploited by service providers.
One significant step that the Irukera-led management is working on is the Patients’ Bill of Rights which seeks better patient/care giver relationship so that patients get, as matter of right, relevant details and proper explanation of their medical situations in clear terms from their care givers, a deviation from the norm. This is an important initiative because the relationship between doctors and patients in our society is often skewed against the patient, to the advantage of the doctor and other health providers whose authority, especially in public hospitals, is often defined as unchallengeable.
Another is the ongoing investigation of Turkish Airlines for its treatment of 22 students of Glisten International College, Abuja, whose flight was delayed without adequate notice by the airline, causing them to miss their connecting flight back to Nigeria from Texas. Turkish Airline had failed to provide accommodation and feeding for the students, drawing Irukera’s ire.
“It was expected that Turkish Airline, as a matter of law and as a matter of responsibility, would take responsibility to protect these young people and make appropriate provisions” the CPC boss said at the start of the investigation.
Irukera has also disclosed plans by the agency to remove every hitch involved in the process of making complaints to the CPC.
“Sooner than later we intend to deploy a mobile application that allows you to complain, essentially what we will do is to make sure that expressing your grievances is not only at no cost but at an extremely convenient manner” the Irukera said. Listening to Irukera, you get a sense of his motivation for his crusade.
However, although these instances are all pointing in the right direction, and are yet to reach a conclusive point, they have not been able to scratch the surface of the serious exploitation consumers suffer daily. What is uncontestable is that they offer a glimmer of hope. The hope that some of the ill-treatment the Nigerian consumer faces could be tangibly sponged from the system. It will not only take the determined effort of Irukera, but also the involvement of civil society and other stakeholders. This is more so considering the reality that in this battle, the businesses hold most of the aces and it will require collective effort over time to significantly reverse the trend.
Overall, Irukera fits the demands of the office at so many levels. As a lawyer, he brings to his work a track record of defending the interest of others even on pro bono basis. He also has a performance-based work ethic that emphasizes getting the job done. His leadership of the CPC has brought a new sense of urgency to the work of the agency and the impact is being felt by service providers and stakeholders. With his impressive initial steps and unflagging passion and more importantly, his strategic and sustainable approach, there is strong reason to believe that the future will be much brighter for the Nigerian consumer.
Nantim M. Joseph
Nantim M. Joseph is a public policy analyst.
