NEWS
We’re Getting Int’l Accolades as Competition Authority – FCCPC Boss
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Dr Adamu Abdullahi has boasted that the commission is receiving international praise as a completion authority in Africa.
The Commission said it has in the last seven months, actively worked to prevent anticompetitive practices, protect consumers, and foster a competitive market.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Adamu Abdullahi said that the penalty was slammed on the companies after three years of intensive investigations.
”We are getting international accolades that at last, there is a competition authority in Africa that is standing against all these anti-competitive practices by multinational agencies.
”On his achievements through his seven months tenure as the acting EVC of the Commission, he said that FCCPC implemented measures to curb price gouging, promote fair competition and protect consumers.
Abdullahi said the Commission had also carried out a review of the stand-alone curriculum for consumer education in secondary schools across the country.
He also explained why the $200 million fine against Meta Platforms Inc (Facebook) and WhatsApp LLC saying it was based on discriminatory practices and sanctionable offences committed.
The FCCPC boss said the companies were found culpable of denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determination, unauthorised transfer and sharing of personal data which was not the practice in other climes.
Abdullahi stated that the companies gave options to data subjects in other climes to decide whether their data would be shared or not.
According to him, only last week, FCCPC issued a final order and imposed a monetary penalty of $220,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Twenty Million USD) against Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC over discriminatory practices in Nigeria.
”This is an investigation that has taken place for the past three years and I was part of it.
”We found out that when you register for the first time to join WhatsApp, there is a column that says you have agreed for your data to be shared for research.
”That is opposed to other climes where you have the choice of saying yes or no, that is discriminatory at the first instance.
”Secondly, we found out that they share our data across platforms,” he said.
He said the Commission was already getting international accolades for the investigation and sanction.
He said the Commission introduced sensitisation for traditional and religious leaders and other stakeholders to enhance capacity and empower them as consumer protection agents in their localities.
The FCCPC published its final order in which it imposed a penalty of $220 million and a reimbursement fee of $35,000 on WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc.
The penalty is for violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), following a joint investigation conducted by the FCCPC and Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
“Our efforts included enforcing the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), reviewing mergers, conducting investigations, and engaging in consumer and business education, among others.Actions on Fair Food Pricing and Enforcement Against Deceptive PracticesTo address public concerns over soaring food prices, the FCCPC implemented measures to curb price gouging, promote fair competition, and protect consumers.
“We monitored markets, partnered with stakeholders, enforced pricing transparency, and sensitised consumers. We also took action against underweight bags of rice, the sale of expired goods, cement price hikes, substandard iron rods, and alleged discriminatory practices in a Chinese supermarket.”
According to him, the most common consumer complaints in the electricity industry include exploitative billing, unlawful disconnection, non-metering of customers, lack of transformers and other salient issues.
”Given the relevance of electricity as a critical utility, the Commission prioritised intervention in the industry to tackle prevailing issues and improve service delivery.
”This we did by implementing various programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the sector,” he said.
Abdullahi said the Commission would continue to work tirelessly to promote competition and protect consumers to create a vibrant economy that would benefit both businesses and citizens.
The CEO of the FCCPC noted that these efforts underscored the government’s dedication to safeguarding Nigerian consumers and fostering a fair marketplace, adding that the Commission was implementing data analysis techniques to systematically analyse consumer complaints to help in identifying patterns of unfair practices, leading to targeted interventions and improved consumer protection measures.
Abdullahi further explained that the Commission continued to advocate for the rights of Nigerian consumers, particularly in the digital money lending industry, while implementing the Limited Interim Regulatory/Registration Framework and Guidelines for Digital Lending to regulate the activities of Digital Money Lenders (DMLs), otherwise referred to as loan sharks.
“On Friday, May 17, 2024, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos delivered a landmark judgment, convicting Dr. Anuoluwapo Funmilayo Adepoju and MedContour Services Limited on all five counts of obstructing an investigation by the FCCPC.
“The Court upheld the FCCPC’s broad investigative powers under the FCCPA, ruling that the FCCPA applies to “all undertakings and all commercial activities” within Nigeria, including health services related to consumer protection.
This judgment strengthened the FCCPC’s authority to investigate consumer rights violations across all sectors, including healthcare, and serves as a warning to businesses that impede or obstruct regulatory investigations.In another development, the Federal High Court struck out a lawsuit filed by the Centre for Social Justice Ltd/Gte against the FCCPC in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1210/2020,” the FCCPC boss recalled.
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has clinched 15 Chairmanship seats in Saturday’s Local Government Elections in Abia, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won two seats.The Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof George Chima, announced the result of the chairmanship poll at thecommission’s headquarters in Umuahia.
Chima said: “We have carried out the duty we were inaugurated on September 5 to undertake. “It was not an easy task, but we went out on our way to create awareness about the elections across the state. “It must be noted that, in recent times, this commission has not conducted an election where over 12 political parties took part, this on its own is a plus to the commission.”The ABSIEC boss said that the chairmanship and councillorship polls took place in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs).He described the exercise as “free fair and credible”.He said that the elections were a demonstration of the commission’s dedication, focus and efficiency.Chima expressed joy that the commission successfully completed, in just two months, a task that typically required six to 12 months of effort.“I congratulate the winners and the losers too, because in any election there must be winners and losers.“The most important thing is that Abia has been peaceful and I want the peace to continue.“I appreciate the security agencies for their support, political parties for playing the game according to the rule,” Chima said.Report says that ZLP won in Isiala Ngwa South, Isiala Ngwa North, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Obingwa, Aba North, Aba South, Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Bende, and Ohafia LGAs.The remaining two LGAs of Osisioma and Ugwunagbo were won by YPP. (NAN)
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris appeared on the “Saturday Night Live” TV comedy show on Saturday, adding a surprise jolt to the U.S presidential election ust three days before her with showdown with Republican Donald Trump.“Keep Calm-ala and carry on-ala,” Harris said in unison with the actor who plays her on the show, Maya Rudolph.
It was Harris’ first time on the show, which has had other presidential candidates over its decades-long run. Trump appeared during his first presidential bid in 2015, where he poked fun at his tendency to exaggerate and steer clear of policy specifics.He also appeared in 2004, long before he entered politics.A Trump aide said he didn’t know if he had been invited to appear this year.Earlier on Saturday, Harris and Trump’s planes shared the tarmac in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the two candidates held dueling events in the southern state, one of a handful that will determine the outcome of Tuesday’s election.It was the fourth day in a row that the candidates campaigned in the same state.Only seven states are seen as truly competitive, but poll released on Saturday showed Harris holding a surprise lead in Iowa, a state Trump won easily in the last two elections.Trump and Harris stuck to familiar themes at their appearances.Trump said he would deport millions of immigrants if elected and warned that if Harris wins, “Every town in America would be turned into a squalid, dangerous refugee camp.”Campaigning in Atlanta, Harris said Trump would abuse his power if he returned to the White House.“This is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and the man is out for unchecked power,” she said.More than 75 million Americans have already cast ballots, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida, in a sign of voter enthusiasm.In North Carolina, the western counties that were devastated by Hurricane Helene appeared to be voting at roughly the same rate as the rest of the state, according to Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer.At a later rally in Salem, Virginia, Trump said he ran for office to rescue the economy from “obliteration” even though it would have been easier to relax at one of his oceanfront resorts.“I didn’t need to be here today,” he said. “I could have been standing on that beach, my beautiful white skin getting nice and being smacked, being smacked in the face by a wave loaded up with salt water.”Trump was joined on stage by women from a local college swim team who have objected to competing against transgender athletes.Some of Trump’s TV ads have sought to capitalise on transgender controversies.Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has surpassed Donald Trump in a new poll in Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released on Saturday.Women voters are likely responsible for the turnaround in a state that Trump easily won in 2016 and 2020.The poll of 808 likely voters, who were surveyed Oct. 28-31, has Harris leading Trump 47%-44% in Iowa, which has been trending deeply Republican in recent years.It is within the 3.4 percentage point margin of error, but it marked a turnaround from a September Iowa Poll that had Trump with a 4-point lead, the newspaper reported.“The poll shows that women — particularly those who are older or who are politically independent — are driving the late shift toward Harris,” the Register said.Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said the Iowa poll was “idiotic” and an outlier that has no credibility. (Reuters/NAN)The Katsina State chapter of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers, Employers of Nigeria, has inaugurated a 200-member task force committee to tackle vandals hiding under their umbrella.
Report says that during the inauguration in Katsina on Saturday, the association also launched its newly elected executive members in the state.
Alhaji Aminu Hassan-Soja, the North Regional President of the association, said the aim of the committee was to curtail vandalism in the state.
Hassan-Soja said: “There is no doubt, vandalism has now become a serious threat to the nation, and Katsina in particular, and accusing fingers are pointing at our members.
“To show the world that we are not vandals, criminals or thieves, but we are doing our legal businesses, that’s why we inaugurated this task force committee.
“The aim is to complement the efforts of government in tackling the activities of vandals in the nation, this is the focus of the committee.
“Our business is about buying and selling metals. I can confidently say that this business is contributing so much to the country’s economy, apart from reducing unemployment.”
He also revealed that scrap and waste dealers also clean the environment, and control the country’s economy through the supply of raw materials to over 70 per cent of Nigerian companies.
“Some of the companies we supply with the raw materials include steel, plastic, and also roofing sheets, where we supply them with scrap metals. We support the country’s economy through sustaining the recycling industry.
“Because without our activities, no investor will come to Nigeria because they can not see raw materials to process and make finished products.
“Also, most of our companies will wind-up because there’s no raw materials for them to process. This is where we contribute to the development of the country’s economy,” he said.
The regional president further explained that across the country, they have over 5 million members engaging and benefitting from the business, while Katsina accounted for over 200,000 members.
Also speaking, a member of Katsina State House of Assembly, representing Funtua constituency, Alhaji Abubakar Total said the assembly was not planning to ban the scrap activities, but trying to sanitise the business.
According to Total, there are some bad elements hiding under the association to vandalise and steal public and other people’s property in the state.
He explained that the assembly only urged the government to find a way of regulating their activities by engaging the leadership of the association and other relevant stakeholders. (NAN)
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