Integrated marketing practitioner and astute consumer advocate, Sola Salako-Ajulo has been sworn in by Lagos state governor ,Ambode as a member of state consumer protection agency led by Mrs. Funmilayo Falana as chairman.
Governor Ambode inaugurated the board members on Wednesday at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja with a pledge to protect the rights of consumers in the State and ensure they get value for money spent on goods and services.
The board are charged with concerted efforts to end the daily reported cases of violation of consumers’ rights in the State especially considering the vantage position of Lagos as the largest commercial market in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Ambode said the establishment of the board, aside from being another giant stride of his administration designed to guarantee the welfare of the people on a sustainable basis, was also meant to complement the reforms already embarked upon by the State Government to ensure the ease of doing business in the State.
In his words, ‘’the establishment of the Consumer Protection Agency is a strong demonstration of our commitment to the protection of the rights of consumers, the promotion of consumer satisfaction in the State and our resolve to ensure that they get value for money spent on goods and services.
“The need for the Agency has become more imperative in view of the fact that Lagos State, with its huge population, provides the largest commercial market in Sub-Sahara Africa, with the highest reported cases of daily infractions on the consumer rights.
“The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency is therefore meant to complement our reforms on the ease of doing business in the State especially as it affects the development of the Industrial, Commercial and Consumer satisfaction value chain,” Governor Ambode said.
The governor added that the agency had been designed to be an effective service centre for the protection of the interests of Consumers, settlement of Consumer disputes and for other connected purposes
He said owing to the responsibilities of the agency, members of the board were carefully selected both from private and public sectors based on their impeccable character, remarkable track records, experience on the subject matter and passion for the job.
The Governor, who urged members of the board to hit the ground running, also tasked them to be dutiful and nurture the new agency to become an institution that will guarantee timely delivery of effective services to aggrieved consumers, just as he enjoined Lagosians to utilize the alternative commercial dispute mechanism to be offered by the agency that will guarantee reduced time for the resolution of consumer related cases.
Other members of the board includes, Olugbode O. Ajoke (General Manager), Mr. Femi Awogbami, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, Dr. (Mrs.) Adeleke Monsurat Modupeola, Mrs. Adejoke Oladipupo, Mr. Alayande Olanrewaju, Mrs. Faderera Lekan-Rotimi, Mr. Segun Tayo Kuti-George, Mrs. Mosunmola Samuel and Mr. Oduyebo O. Jacobs.
The Chairman of the board, Mrs Olufunmilola Falana, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in the board.
“We will take the bull by the horn and ensure that we do not only impress the governor, but the teeming consumers in the state,” Falana said.
