Anselem Anokwute
Imo State House of Assembly has committed into a Committee Stage the over yearning Bill for a law to establish the Consumer Protection Council Law to guide protect and control the markets, traders, customers vis-a-vis the general consumers.
In his presentations, Hon. Barr. Dominic Ugochukwu Ezerioha Representing Oru West in the Assembly, recapping his earlier submissions on the importance of the Bill when passed into law and expressed interest that the sound legislative procedure on the Consumers Protection Council Bill passing its 2nd stage on the floor of the house on Tuesday 11th March, 2024.
In the Bill, Hon. Ezerioha earlier made it clear to the general public that the bill in sequences has 62 pages, 9 Parts, 103 Sections, and about 223 Sub-Sections in accordance with the basic need of the people of Imo State.
Hon. Ezerioha, while adumbrating on the Bill, he highlighted some of the areas and reasons for the Bill as follows,
The Bill protects the consumers from bad food, drinks, and water, It eliminates hazardous and substandard goods from the market, To regulate the markets in Imo State.
Others are, To monitor good hygiene, clean workspace and general environment of hotels, their kitchens and other food vendors/fast food centres,
To promote and protect the interest of consumers over products and services and To also protect the producers.
The Second Term Law-maker Ezerioha, further hinted to his fellow members and the public that the bill has also 5 major rights of the consumers to protect in the area of, Safety, Information, Choice, Voice and Redress, respectively.
The bill was generally accepted by 21 members at the plenary after a painstakingly deliberations as they unanimously spoke in favour of the bill before it was formally approved and sent to the House of Assembly Committee on Commerce and Industry for it’s legislative oversight functions and to report to the general committee for last reading and possibly passed into law.