The Ondo State Government has vowed to prosecute dealers in counterfeit, adulterated, expired and substandard products as part of efforts to protect consumers and curb practices capable of endangering public health.
The Chairman of the Ondo State Competition and Consumer Protection Agency, Oluyemi Fasipe, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press conference in Akure, the state capital.
Fasipe said the newly enacted state law had strengthened the agency’s powers to sanction businesses involved in illegal and deceptive practices, including imposing fines and initiating criminal prosecution where necessary.
He said the agency would intensify its monitoring activities across the state, particularly against sellers and producers of fake drinks, adulterated consumables, expired goods and other harmful products.
The chairman warned filling station operators against tampering with dispensing equipment and urged producers of sachet and bottled water to comply with approved safety and quality standards.
He added that the agency would also scrutinise service providers, including artisans, electricity distribution companies and telecommunications firms, over alleged unfair, deceptive or exploitative practices against consumers.
Fasipe linked the agency’s renewed enforcement drive to the recent deaths associated with the consumption of suspected poisonous herbal products in parts of Ondo State, saying stronger regulation could help prevent similar incidents.
He warned that businesses found violating consumer protection laws risked having their premises sealed and offending products withdrawn from circulation, stressing that operators must comply with relevant regulations because the era of exploiting consumers with impunity was over.
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