Of recent there has been increasing concern over cases of sub-standard quality, counterfeiting and the dumping of near – end – of - life and end - of -life electrical and electronic appliances in Alaba International Market, Lagos. In an effort to address these problems, three Government Agencies: the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA); the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alaba International Market Amalgamated Traders Association (AIMATA) to check these vices. This historic event took place at the Secretariat of the Electronic Section, Alaba International Market, Lagos on Thursday 30th July, 2009.
This is coming a week after participants at the NESREA – organised International Conference on E-waste Control decried the increasing volume of e-waste in the country and its associated environmental and health problems. Under the MoU, all the Parties are to work together to discourage the unethical practice of sale of fake and sub-standard electrical and electronic products and to dispose unserviceable electrical and electronic products in an environmentally sustainable way.
A 35-member Joint Task Force was set up to implement the MoU. The traders’ association, AIMATA, is to contribute twenty (20) members while the three Government Agencies are to contribute the remaining fifteen (15) members. The Task Force is empowered to conduct inspection and surveillance of the market; carry out investigation to unravel the presence of fake and sub-standard electrical and electronic products in the market and their channels of entry into the market; and recommend to the parties hereto appropriate sanctions for offenders.
The MoU empowers members of the Joint Implementation Task Force to, in the course of their duties, at any reasonable time:
- Enter (if need be by force) any premises in the market for the purpose of conducting an investigation;
- Examine or take samples or specimen of any goods or products in the market;
- Open and examine while on the premises, any container or package which he reasonably believes may help in his investigation;
- Examine any book, document or other records found on the premises which it reasonably believes may contain any information relevant to the enforcement of this MoU and make copies thereof or extracts from;
- Seize and detain for such time as may be necessary for the purposes of this MoU, any article or goods by means of, or in relation to which it reasonably believes any provision of this MoU has been contravened.
The tenure of the MoU is for an initial period of two years and is renewable thereafter.
The Director General of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Ify Umenyi, signed the MoU on behalf of her Council; Dr (Mrs.) Ngeri S. Benebo, the Director General/CEO of NESREA was represented by the Director, Environmental Quality Control, Mallam M.M. Omar; while the Director General Standard Organization of Nigeria was also represented at the signing ceremony. The President of the Electronic Section of AIMATA, Chief Emeka Dike signed on behalf of the traders.
In a remark during the ceremony, the Director General of NESREA, Dr (Mrs.) Ngeri S. Benebo described the occasion as the manifestation of NESREA desire to promote voluntary compliance and forging strategic partnership with various stakeholders. Director General of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Ify Umenyi in her remarks said her Council will intensify surveillance and enforcement operations in the market place in order to stem the tide of counterfeiting in the country.
In his remarks, the President of AIMATA, Chief Emeka Dike urged Government to nip in the bud, the problem of counterfeiting by ensuring that exporting countries are stopped from turning the country into a dumping ground of fake and counterfeit goods
