Coalition calls for passage of Competition Bill

A coalition of organised private sector organisations, civil societies and consumer rights advocacy group on Friday stormed the streets of Lagos calling on the leadership of the National Assembly to pass the Competition Bill before it in the benefit of consumers in the country.
The bill which has passed through first and second reading in the House the coalition says will create job opportunities, prevents price fixing, protects consumers, encourage quality, kill monopoly, drives prices down and frustrates cartels.
The walk is the first in a series of similar walk that will take place in Enugu, Kaduna and Kano.
Addressing journalists before the walk, President of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, Ms. Sola Salako, stressed that will ensure efficient and fair markets that are essential for catalysing private sector development and economic growth.
She also said that the Bill if passed into law will to infuse a level playing field in the Nigerian markets thereby stimulating entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Ms Salako however called on the leadership of the National Assembly to expedite action on the bill saying the passage of the bill will facilitate greater equality of opportunity by breaking down the barriers to fair competition that often help to protect incumbent elites.
Similarly, Mr. Solomon Aderoju, Chairman, Lagos Chapter of Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) told our reporter that the enactment of the Competition Bill will provide a robust competition law to regulate the market to ensure a win-win situation for both consumer and producers.
Throwing its weight behind the coalition, the Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Honorable Rotimi Ogunleye, said that the Lagos State government is in force with the coalition.
“What you are doing is in sync with what this Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Co-operatives stands for, as you all know, we have a consumer protection law in Lagos which was enacted in 2014, we are working so hard to empower it so that it can become operational.
“For us here, we are interested in the consumers getting the benefit of goods and services, consumers satisfaction is a necessary ingredient for economic development. If consumers are not satisfied, they wouldn’t want to patronize the goods again, we must ensure that all products and services are tailored towards consumers’ satisfaction.

“We are in support of you regarding the passage of this Competition Bill at the National Assembly, we will put all necessary pressure to get all parties to join in this crusade. We are part and parcel of it, we are in all force with you in this your campaign”, he said.
Deji Balogun, General Manager, Lagos State Television (LTV), who received the protesters said he shared in their quest but expressed worries in the stress private bill pass through on the floor of the House.
Mr. Deji, also lamented the monopoly in the digital switch over of television stations from analogue.
The General Manager therefore pleaged the support of the station which currently run on six languages to the campaign.