By Abdou Karim
As Gambian consumers are concerned about how to put food on the table during the 45 days of State of Public Emergency across the country, the Executive Secretary, Consumer Protection Association of The Gambia (CPAG), Mr. Lamin Njie, has also expressed his organization’s concern over the protection of consumers.
The senior official stressed that the safety of consumers remains major challenges in the Gambia amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus-19, vowing that “CPAG is determined to protect them”.
It can be recalled that the President’s declaration of the State of Public Emergency has restricted the movements of many people, and some businesses were asked to close, as public gatherings were banned.
However, many people who are living from hand to mouth have voiced their concerns about how they are going to survive if they are to stay at home for forty-five days.
Executive Secretary Njie, whose organisation is here to serve consumers’ interests, lamented that the coronavirus disease outbreak has affected all walks of life, and that consumers are not left out of it.
“It’s a difficult time and consumers are not exceptional. But we will not relent in our mandate to protect consumers always,” he reassured consumers.
Njie further stated that CPAG was vigilant and concerned about consumers’ safety, when Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic, and stressed that consumers need protection. He, therefore, urged consumers to adapt to the situation and practice more solidarity, support and compassion among ourselves, in this difficult time.
The CPAG Executive Secretary intimated that businessmen and service providers should not take advantage of the difficult moment to exploit consumers that are vulnerable.
“Consumers also need to reassess our preferences,” posited Njie, while advising people to follow the WHO preventive and protective measures to contain the virus, so as to help in the fight against the killer disease.
He disclosed that the Covid-19 outbreak has caused the postponement of one of the organization’s major events this year- ‘The World Consumer Rights Day 2020’. But he informed that the CPAG is working at home on the online platforms to help protect the consumers in the country.
The Executive Secretary concluded by promising consumers that CPAG would continue the sensitization through their weekly radio programs to raise awareness on the protection of the consumers.
