The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has advised Nigerians to forward complaints of scams and misleading advertisement about COVID-19 vaccines, therapies or cures to the commission’s dedicated portal.
FCCPC Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said such complaints would be met and handled with stiff penalties for violators.
According to Irukera, the commission had created a COVID-19 portal and number on https://covid19.fccpc.gov.ng; 07086159973 to enable citizens report cases of extortions during this challenging time.
He noted that the commission’s current operational priorities remained to address key competition and consumer protection issues relating to and arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He listed some of the issues to include continued irrational and excessive increases in prices of certain medical devices (infrared thermometers), sanitisers, face masks, chloroquine and Vitamin C.
Others are hike in food items, continued insufficient supply of electricity and arbitrary billing.
He restated the commission’s readiness to ensure violators face the appropriate law even after the pandemic.
He said the commission was already pursuing criminal charges against some violators and was expanding investigations into other players and industries.