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NECA opposes CPC’s regulatory role

By on September 19, 2015

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has expressed its displeasure over the regulatory role of the Consumer Protection Council, saying the recent activities of the council are functions already being performed by other government agencies.

The representative of the organised private sector said in a statement on Thursday that the duplication of regulations was stifling the growth of existing businesses and discouraging potential investors.

The Director-General, NECA, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, opposed the manner in which dialogue with businesses was being held by the CPC with the media in attendance, alleging that the agency was trying to be sensational.

According to him, the council has no powers to probe and sanctions corporate organisations.

Oshinowo said, “We will not accept CPC’s Gestapo approach at territory grappling and relevance seeking by performing roles already being carried out by other agencies of government such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control; Nigeria Communications Commission; Standards Organisation of Nigeria; Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

“The CPC has been acting ultra vires and in spite of ongoing court action against the CPC, the body has continued to usurp the responsibilities of other agencies with the primary responsibilities to protect consumers in their sectors.”

One of such actions of the CPC as stated by the association was the probe into electricity tariff and consumers issues in the power sector, which NECA said was a breach of the provisions of the Electric Power Reform Act, 2005.

He said the law had vested the regulation of operators in the power sector on NERC, which had the primary responsibility to regulate and protect the interest of all stakeholders.

The NECA boss called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the CPC led by its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki.

“The latest inordinate foray of the CPC is into the electricity sector, an action contrary to the provisions of the Electric Power Reform Act, 2005 that vested the regulation of operators in the sector on NERC, which has the primary responsibility to regulate and protect the interest of all stakeholders, including consumers, in that sector,” Oshinowo said.

 

[Punch]