Mazik foundation for Consumer Rights (MFCR), has vowed to end the woes users of end products go through due to fake or substandard products pushed into the market by manufacturers or dealers.
This was made known Wednesday June 19, 2024, at the inauguration ceremony of Mazik Foundation for Consumers Rights by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MFCR, Zik Igbadi Boniwe, in Asaba, the State capital.
He said the foundation, would build the capacity of consumers, products and service providers to understand their rights and responsibilities to each other.
According to him, Mazik foundation would assist consumers to engage products and service providers to ensure availability of quality products and services for consumers in the marketplace.
“Network with like-minded organizations, products/services providers and government agencies in promoting consumer protection.
“Develop a systemic linkage and collaboration between products/services providers and consumers”, assuring that the organization would assist consumers to seek redress when their rights are infringed on.
He pointed out that the problems facing Nigerian consumers are “many, enormous and unquantifiable.
He noted that they are further compounded by inadequate implementation and enforcement of the laws set out to protect consumers, “in fact, consumers’ voices have mostly been quiet and unheard”.
He said despite the collective powers of consumers in the marketplace, they have however, demonstrably shown ineffectiveness in advocating for and protecting their rights.
Speaking on what led to the launching of the foundation, he said, the idea and eventual birth of MFCR was solely circumstantial.
Hear him: “It was an automobile accident that occurred on June 23 at about 9:00am at Umunede Junction in Delta State along Benin-Asaba expressway, that prompted the formation of this foundation.
“After that accident and bearing in mind the reason for the crash (overspending), one of the passengers in the accidented vehicle who sustained multiple injuries, had a very serious reflection on the incidents leading to that accident in which he was a victim.
“Like a flash of light, he remembered his relations that had died in automobile accidents, Micheal Ezechie, Victor Ezechie, Raymond Ezechie and Kingsley.
“His though was further roused to reflect on other very innocent people who have lost their lives through vehicular accident for no fault of their own.
“Furthermore, in that mindset he reflected on the frequency of these occurrences and all these reflections were at the scene of that accident before he was rushed on a motorbike (Okada) to the hospital.
“While at the hospital as he was closing his eyes to fall asleep, he saw a white banner with the word “Consumer Rights”, written on it floating forth and back.
“This happened three times that night. It was at this point that he conceptualized the idea of establishing a consumer rights organization to advocate for the protection, promotion and enforcement of consumers rights in Nigeria.
“This led him to register an organization called “Consumer Rights Organization”, in November 2008 with the Edo State government.
“That Consumer Rights Organization has now metamorphosed to “Mazik Foundation for Consumer Rights”, as registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2024″.
He spoke to the astonishment and admiration of all as he introduced himself as the person who had the accident on June 23, 2008 at Umunede Junction in Ika north east local government area of the State on that fateful day.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Ogbueshi Chris Okolie, expressed satisfaction with the foundation for coming over to Delta, as there is much to do.
He tasked the organizer to tight his lions, as he would be faced with mirage of petitions by consumers who have in one way or the other suffered from service providers.
He charged participants to take advantage of the office to bring an end to fake and substandard products that have saturated the marketplace.
Earlier, the event was marked with a roadshow to the popular Ogbegonogo Market to Inter-bua roundabout back to the venue if the ceremony.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the State Coordinator, National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Infrastructure, the representative of the Bishop of Asaba Diocese and others.
