Following the spate and alarming rate of buildings collapse in the country, the Federal Competition on Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has disclosed that it has picketed three foreign steel companies in Ogun State, engaging in sharp practices, ranging from falsification, misleading and deceptive acts, in line with it’s core mandate to protect and safeguard
Nigerians from havoc.
The Acting Executive Vice Chairman, FCCPC, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, made this known during a monitoring and enforcement exercise of FCCPC, that was carried out around outskirts of Ikorodu, Ogijo and Sagamu, in Ogun State.
Abdullahi explained that the FCCPC decided to act swiftly after getting intelligence and surveillance reports that these three foreign steels firms have been shortchanging consumers patronizing their steels products by not accurately meet the original sizes they bought on delivery.
According to him, the three foreign steel firms are; African Foundries, Km 45 Shagamu ikorodu Express way, Ogijo Ogun State, Monarch Steel Mill Limited, Sagamu, and Kam Steel Integrated Company, Sagamu, all located in Ogun State.
Abdullahi said: “We are here today based on intelligence and surveillance reports that the companies in question are in anti-community behaviors and that is the reason why we decided to come to these three out of the many companies that are here in Ogun State, so that we can take their samples and see what they have been doing by going through their records we get from them as well as look at the end product that comes out of their systems here. “You see what is happening is that there is a false, misleading and deceptive, as well as, unfair market practices.
He continued, “I go into the market to buy an iron rod, 12mm for instance, and when they produced what you get 10mm not 12mm. This is the mere reason that leads to all these buildings collapses in the country. We are talking here about the issue of safety of our people and that is one of the core essences of our population. We have to ensure safety of our population. “And what is happening in that building space so far is not palatable and it is something that has been worrisome and leads to all mysteries in this country. So we have to look at their processes and find out if they are violating standards and regulations. That is why we are here today (yesterday).
While speaking on intelligence gathering that led to the discovery of deceptive practice by the three foreign steel producers, the FCCPC helmsman noted, “We go on intelligence, surveillance exercises. We look at how industries operate as well as how markets operate. If we find out that there are any market distortions, we go for it and finds out from those people in the markets. If you go into the you buy a 12mm rod for instance, and you are sold 10mm in the pretext that it is 12mm that’s false, misleading and deceptive and it is an offense in market practice. These are things we are always looking out for and this is the intelligence that we got and that’s what led to our finding out whether there is any truth.”
On the building collapse in the country, he stressed that, “Our worries is building collapse and people dies. So essentially what we are looking for is if there are any issues with cutting corners. We work with SON as standards matters, and also the issues of market resolve how do the market play out? What did they do in the market that is right and what do they do that is wrong. Abdullah added, “Of course, we are working with all the markets associations, all the sellers of this iron rod in the markets, we have their contacts, and we have been holding meetings with them regularly on this type of thing. “They are the ones who are also giving us some of the Information that we need so that this whole process gets the desired results.”