 ఇధికాాలారిలికాల్టితిదాలికారాంరిని. అందిఛియాసినియారీినిటికియావికికిటంచిటికికిటి అఀందిక౿కిటికికి఻గిని. The minister discussed this while speaking on flight destruction challenges during a meeting with the officials of airline operators of Nigeria, AON in Abuja. Kayamo said the regulators will begin to implement the provision of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAAA act that mandates airlines to compensate passengers for delays, cancellations of flights, shadows caused by the airlines. Joining me to discuss this is Afolabi Sholebo, General Manager Lagonstate Consumer Protection Agency. Good evening, this evening, Afolabi. Yeah, good evening, sir. It's a pleasure to be on your program. And it's a pleasure to have you. Okay. Thank you very much. Yes, thank you very much. Yes, like you said, I'm the general manager of Lagonstate Consumer Protection Agency. And the agency was established for hopefully to ensure that conglomerate in Lagonstate would get satisfaction and value for money, and also to protect them against any form of other drug products, on safe trade practices, and even selling expired products. The Consumer Protection Agency is very wide. It covers all categories of breach of consumer rights. And the topic for discussion is no exception. And it is something that has been on my mind for a couple of times. I remember coming to Abuja to see the first chairman of the Federal Competition on Consumer Protection Agency. And I specifically mentioned this issue and we both agreed that it is not right, and it is a detriment of the consumers. Until I was lectured or enlightened this morning, like I told you, I felt it was an exclusive federal matter. But somebody then told me and said, Bola, you know what, most of the transactions are done in states. And state consumer protection officers should be able, if a resident of the state has not gotten value for his or her money, should be able to go to the Consumer Protection Agency. So you are telling me affirmatively at this juncture that it is within your portfolio to so protect the right of anybody that buys an air ticket in Lagos and who experiences consolation and delays without being adequately compensated. Definitely, yes. Most of the airlines do have the offices in Lagos. And I could say that the majority of the consumers are in Lagos. The inflow and hard flow of aircraft from Lagos to other parts of the country. It is something that you cannot, you know, just push away like that. And we have, it is within the jurisdiction of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, except that when we have a synergy with the federal competition and consumer protection agency to protect all consumers, because what we've been dealing with before under the right of consumers is consumer to cancel, advance with a version of booking. And I can tell you that we are missing words that a lot of those aircraft have been invited to this office. Unfortunately, unfortunately, most of the cases have been resolved in favor of the consumers. So the LACOPA, as I say, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency is in synergy with the federal competition and consumer protection agency. So it is within our jurisdiction to ensure that consumers do get value for the money, especially since the joints of the aircraft do have their offices here in Lagos where bookings are made. And the pronouncement of the Minister of Aviation is a welcome development because the issue of flight disruption is a detachment of the consumers. And if consumers get value for their money... Listen to you now. I feel like slapping myself. You know why? About more than a year ago, about a year and a month ago, a ticket, a return ticket to Abuja was bought for me. I got to the airport very early that morning. The airline was suspended by NCAA. And up until, as I'm talking to you now, the airline has refused to refund us. Indeed, about two or three months ago, the airline was trying to cajole me or force me to go to Enugu. We had no transaction and instead of just refunding money for a penalty that they suffered because they failed to meet the minimum safety measure of NCAA. Now they have held my complex money for more than a year. They have not recompensed me and they are even bouncing me. They are kind of cajoling me to go to a destination where I have nothing to do at all. And I can tell you what I mean. The transaction was conducted in Lagos. And you are supposed to get satisfaction for your money. You are supposed to get value for your money. If it is at your own making that your flight was delayed or cancelled, definitely you should get a response. The airline was actually suspended. If they are suspended, they have insurance and I believe that they can pay you. It is what they do. See, in that time we take the issue of consumers in this country. On me are more concerned about Lagos state. We should take them into consideration and ensure that consumers in Lagos state will use the slogan that consumers are king. And as far as known as the Lagos state consumer protection remains, consumers will remain kings no matter whose ox is God. I can tell you. And as far as known as Lagos state, I have always said that there is zero tolerance for breach of consumer rights in Lagos state. So in the backdrop of the Honorable Minister's remark yesterday, what can somebody of your structure and position do to help many like me articulate their rights in law? Because according to the minister yesterday, there are actually some one or two statutes that protect the consumers rights. And yet many of us are just walking, you know, we deal with the airlines as zombies and they take advantage of our ignorance. Yes, thank you very much. I see. What we keep telling people is that they have rights. And whenever you think there's a breach of that right, it's a big regret. And in Lagos state, the only reason that it's a big regret is the Lagos state consumer protection. And yes, from statutes, I will tell you not in the year 2022 alone about. Hello, are you there? Yes, I am here. Okay then. For the 7000 water for four flights were delayed or cancelled. And this is not a result of maybe the making of the consumer. This is where the polluted they have to buy the NCAA. That cancellation or delay and fright the consumers are supposed to be compensated. If the airline does not have the capacity to make correct financial obligations. Because they don't want to bear problems. It's no. But once they will keep educating consumers, they have rights. Most people will say hello and leave it to God. But if you have worked very hard for your money. I mean, worked very hard for your money. And you were supposed to be offline with service that you pay for. Definitely. If you get value for your money and satisfaction, it is simple. Flight delays and some cases after cancellation means the consumers will suffer. So when will the consumer go? I really am very happy that we have you this evening. You know why? If it could happen to me and I am acting as though I am a place and I know somebody like you and I forgot that it's a strictly consumer protection issue. And I didn't take it to somebody like you. I didn't even approach it with my sister. Why? Earlier contacted this morning. Then I'm thinking do we have a culture of, if I say quote alone, I pass it to God's court. Is that correct? I think that is one of the mistakes or the mistakes most consumers are making. I can quickly refer you to the social media handles of the legacy consumer protection agency and look at things that we've done. And I will tell you that if you go through a browse through, you will see that so many airlines issues are the result. So many, I am not talking about local airlines. Even international. Money that we have founded back to consumers. Because mostly I know that consumers are right. But it is the only way consumers know their rights and where to seek redress. That is why they engage jobs. And I can tell you without missing words that legacy consumer protection agency will do everything within the ambit of the law to protect the legacy. So anybody that transgresses legacy. Let me be a bit more forensic in the questions I ask now. You are practically telling me that once the commercial or contractual transaction took place on terra firma legacy consumer protection agency is there to protect the customer. Yes, the legacy consumer protection is there to protect the consumers. And this is possible because we will appoint both the legacy laws and the Federal Competition on Consumer Protection Act of 2018. And also we have this energy. The Federal Commission on Consumer Protection Agency be a stakeholder when it comes to the issue of protecting consumers. We have this energy. So most times we do see the guys together on issues. But this is the jurisdiction. If it is a jurisdiction, all we need to do is just communicate with the Federal Competition. And we can get the go ahead. And most times we do get the go ahead because we are all facing the same things. And the aim of both agencies and the commission is to protect consumers in Nigeria and legacy respectively. And what we have been doing. For anybody watching this program as it is now. And he or she is feeling oh, I bought that item. I remember the last time I brought you on my show. It was in respect of an article I read about you. You protected a consumer who was about being robbed of his privileges and rights by a major electronic shop where he bought a phone item and the item did not serve, did not live up to the purpose and you went into it and you almost got the place shut down and they recompensed the gentleman. He wrote a fantastic piece about that. For anybody watching now wanting to raise an issue related to consumer protection which social media platform or Andrews should they be looking at? Or how could they get in touch with you on your office? Thank you very much. Yes, thank you very much. Yes, I am very good. I remember the video that was invented by you when that happened. And to many people it was a shock. There is an agency that can actually protect the rights of consumers. Not only in Lagos, but in Lagos and it is a virus. See, people can, we are on all social media handles. We are on Instagram. We are on Twitter which is now X and also on Facebook. And after that incident went viral. We will receive so many complaints. And I cannot show you. When we have over 8347 complaints and results over 8234 of it. That shows more than 90%. And people can even get us on Facebook LESD COOPER. On X LESD COOPER. Then on Instagram LESD COOPER at Instagram. It is easy. All you need to do is watch your company. If you cannot come to our office at Saudi Arabian Bar, close of Allen Avenue. We also have other office at Picoio Ballendi, by Riga, by Daigre, equal to do and your local government. So, it is the consumer thing. And even the service providers, the manufacturers, the marketers, they know all this. Maybe I didn't tell you about the case of the, I wouldn't mention the name now. An auto company. They are sold vehicles. They are sold vehicles. And we got complaints that the vehicles were under 3-4 months. Vehicles are supposed to last for 3 years or they are about to warranty. And they took it to the show. And they lost it. Nothing has no refund policy. That's another thing people don't know. There is nothing. Like no refund policy. It is there. We will recover 1.3 million euros for those vehicles. Because they don't refund for the vehicles. The components are still alive. There was a glitch when we were talking. I would want you to carefully repeat this. You are saying that there is nothing, like no refund policy in legal state that should work or will work against consumers. Yes. And I reconfirm there is nothing like no refund policy. Let consumers not be taken by what they write on their receipt and everything. The position of the law is very clear. Most federal and states. There is nothing like no refund policy. If a product is sold to you and not put on some means of satisfaction or the product in most cases is destructive in nature. Definitely. You have the right for replacements or refunds. If the product is not replaced for you you have the right to get refunds. And I can assure you the record is there. When you go on social media handles, you will see. People don't go to the extent of telling their testimonies. All those testimonies are there. This is not something that you can conjure. Okay. Let's use this opportunity now for you to gently but in wrapping up close by telling our viewers how they can engage your agency should they be in a sorry situation like I found myself and I forgot that I have that agency to hand. Yes. Thank you very much. If a consumer read out there I will have have you purchased a product recently or have you been rendered any service that you are not satisfied with? Please do not suffer in silence. As a consumer you have right to safety. You have right to be informed. You also have right to choose and be heard. You have right for satisfaction of basic needs. Please come to the Augustine Consumer Protection Agency and speak redress because we have right to consumer education and healthy environment and wherever any of those rights have been breached in all categories of consumer bridge please make a complaint and speak redress at the Legal State Consumer Protection Agency. Our office is located at number 2B Sao-ji Adipi Battalos of Halena Avenue. You can also reach us in any of our nursing offices you can call your family day by Riga, by that grade you can call your local government and also by that grade local government. We can also reach us on all this number 0812499 3895 081 2499 3895 and 08095 507 50977 080 Our fallabishable time is not quite very kind on a program like this. I really want to appreciate you for this value addition to our viewing public. Thank you for coming. That is how we wrap up that segment. We go on a short break and we will be back.