Amid increasing cases of product adulteration and associated health hazards, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) says its doors are opened to customers and consumers whose rights may have been abused or violated in any way.
The agency says complaints bordering on fake or adulterated product and below expectation services which had been paid for, can be forwarded to its office in order to help aggrieved customers and consumers seek redress.
Kemi Olugbode, the general manager of LASCOPA who spoke with reporters in Ikeja, said the agency recently established by the state government, according to its enabling law, has the mandate to protect consumers of goods and services against any act of infringement on their rights.
According to Olugbode, “our doors are widely opened to receive complaints from any consumer irrespective of their sex, tribe, religious or political affiliations.”
Urging the general public to take advantage of the free services of her agency, the GM assured that all forwarded cases would be thoroughly investigated and attended to.
She noted that LASCOPA would explore every available option to ensure that all complaints from consumers are resolved amicably without necessary initiating a court process.
Speaking on the process resolution, Olugbode said that upon the receipt of complaints from any aggrieved consumer, the Complaint and Mediation Section of LASCOPA would write the respondent, to reply to the allegation against them.
She said that the agency usually requested the respondents to reply within 14 or 21 working days of receipt of a letter from LASCOPA depending on the circumstances of the matter. Mediation process would commence to ensure a peaceful resolution of all consumers’ complaints as soon as the respondent honours the invitation letter from the agency.
The GM said that it was only when all available mediation process had been explored and the complaint not satisfactorily resolved that the option of litigation could be considered.
She said the agency had so far been able to amicably resolve a number of consumers’ complaints to their satisfaction free of charge.
JOSHUA BASSEY
