By Emeka Aginam
THE world’’s leading maker of mobile devices in, Nokia, in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), the apex consumer protection agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, have teamed up to address issues relating to the physical safety and economic interest of Nigerians consuming electronic produce flooding the market from the international market.In a capacity building event held last week that brought together stakeholders in the electrical/electronic sub-sector at the Alaba International market, participants at the event noted that there was need to tackle the incidence of fake products as well as sub-standard e- goods flooding the Nigerian market.

The Nokia Communications Manager Nigeria and West Africa Ngozi Ife Anene who spoke at the event lamented on the effects of fake products on the nation’’s economy, saying that there was need for consumers to be conscious of their environment by taking note of necessary watermarks and security seals of products to enhance easy identification of genuine products.““This is a good opportunity given to us by the Consumer Protection Council and Nokia feels highly honoured to have been recognized as a partner of this worthy cause,” Anene said.

“As an organization, Nokia believes in impacting positively on any society and a good partnership, such as this, encourages us to do more.” she said.Using Nokia as an example, she said that the company’s customers can now easily identify genuine Nokia products by the warranty sticker on the outside of the device package.

The sticker, which has a simple12 months Nokia Warranty, valid only in Nigeria, she said is a means of identifying original Nokia handsets shipped to Nigeria, adding that that these are automatically covered by the warranty.She explained further that Nokia is currently implementing a material Take-Back process as part of its commitment to the environment.

The process, she said involves the sending of used components from repairs at Service Centres to a central recycling plant for extraction, re-use or proper disposal.

“The Take-Back process is also extended to end-users and it will give them opportunity to properly dispose of their old or dead Nokia phones in an environmentally friendly manner. The Take Back campaign was launched in Nigeria March 2009″.

she adeed.Similarly, the Director General of Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, while commending all stakeholders for being supportive of this initiative in Nigeria, encouraged them not to relent in combating fake and counterfeit products in the market. She described counterfeiting as an unlawful act that has denied vulnerable consumers value-for-money and crippled the business of producers of genuine products and services.At the forum, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria presented also a paper giving an overview of the Electronics market and and place of quality assurance in Nigeria, whilst the Nigerian Society of Engineers delivered gave an address on the importance of warranty on electrical and electronic goods. Meanwhile, participants at the event had an opportunity to seek more product information from manufacturers and marked the beginning of a new relationship between CPC and its stakeholders.in mobile telecommunications and the world’’s leading maker of mobile devices.

The Consumer Protection Council is the apex consumer protection agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria established to promote and protect consumers’’ interests in all areas of products and services, provide speedy redress to their complaints, inform, educate and empower them (consumers) to act as discerning and discriminating consumers in the market place.