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GOVERNMENT has challenged the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to increase its operations and mandate of ensuring consumers are not exploited by unscrupulous traders.
Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Robert Sichinga said consumers need to exercise their right by benefiting from their money and that the media has a role to play by enhancing information dissemination on consumer protection to the public.
Mr Sichinga is concerned that there are many business practices and consumer right violations that go unreported in communities that should be highlighted and addressed.
“I challenge you CCPC and other consumer protection institutions and sector regulators to up your game and ensure that consumers get benefit for their money by bringing perpetrators of unfair trading practices to book.
“Achieving total consumer protection requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders which includes the media, the regulators as well as the members of the public,” Mr Sichinga said.
The minister said this when he officiated at a CCPC media workshop in Siavonga yesterday.
Earlier, CCPC executive director Chilufya Sampa said once the 2015 national budget is passed, the commission will embark on an expansion exercise of opening offices in other parts of the country to enhance consumer protection.
“To address the challenge of presence in the local areas, CCPC has embarked on an expansion programme that will see it open offices in all the 10 provinces by the end of 2015. Once the 2015 national budget is passed by Parliament, we expect offices in Chinsali, Mansa, Livingstone, and Kabwe to be opened by April next year,” he said.
Mr Sampa said the expansion programme is aimed at addressing unfair trading in rural areas, especially that consumers are being exploited by unscrupulous traders some of whom sell expired goods.
He said CCPC has decided to partner with the media to enhance dissemination of information in rural communities.
“To address the challenge of presence in the local areas, CCPC has embarked on an expansion programme that will see it open offices in all the 10 provinces by the end of 2015. Once the 2015 national budget is passed by Parliament, we expect offices in Chinsali, Mansa, Livingstone, and Kabwe to be opened by April next year,” he said.
Zambia Daily Mail
