‘Computer village not a market’
Wednesday, August 24 , 2005

The chairman, Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), Mr. Olantuji Balogun has gaven an insight into its activities .

CAPDAN, which is the central regulatory body of all dealers in technological wares at the Ikeja Computer village, was inaugurated last year November, to oversee the affairs of all the dealers in the market, while ensuring a level playing ground for all.

Balogun, said though the challenges regulating the market is enormous especially in the area of sensitizing dealers on the need to create a verile technological market.

"You know this is an ICT market, the largest in Africa. And in such arena, you need a good working environment where customers, business dealers and stakeholders can do business without any fear of attack and insecurity. So far, we are concluding plans to include the services of other state security outfits such as the SSS, the police and KAI, among others.

"One impression which must be corrected however, is that this place is not a market but a business district. We need to set that priority right and give the place its proper name. A market is a place where you have street traders, and this is nothing close to a market. Street trading or what have you is illegal in this kind of environment. It is a big offence against the Lagos State government. And we need to enact that law with other government agencies."

On how soon the organization hopes to set certain things right in the technology district, he said: " we just inaugurated a tax force to enable us deal effectively with the security problems. The presence of miscreants in the market, not only constitutes a source of worry for the Computer village, but also gives the country a bad image."

Speaking on the issue of the proposed ban on price listing in newspaper adverts, Olatunji, said the law when fully implemented, will ensure a win-win situation for all dealers. He explained that most of the people advertising the prices of their goods in the papers do not always have authentic goods, and so deployed deceptive strategies, to attract customers to their outlets.
He disclosed that before the ban would be fully implemented, CAPDAN would get a consensus of all the people doing business in the area.
"The plan to ban price listing in news papers, has not yet been agreed upon by all dealers of computers and other allied products in this arena."

The chairman of CAPDAN said the body plans to put certain infrastructure in place to boost the image of the market, which has continued to expand. "Believe it or not, not only the organization, but the duty of everybody in the Computer village, both dealers and consumers as well, have a collective responsibility to make this place conducive for all who do business here."