CONSUMERISM IN NIGERIA THE ROLE OF NAFDAC AND APON
CHAPTER ONE
11. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Buiness exists primarily to earn profit. In order to achieve this goal, it will seek to serve some identifiable needs of some definable consumer. Without consumers, there would not be buiness because effective demand is desired back by the abiliity to pay. Consumers are therefore an inmportant societal group towards whom business must believe responsibly. While consumers are important to business, they are not organized to commtervail against buiness practices that are harmful or expoitative of them. In relation to buiness, consumers stand like labour in relation to management. Traditionally, the business are free to make and market any product or sevices provided. It is not dangerous and also to design advertising communication for its products and sevices. They are also allowed to price them in ways that enable them maximiize profit.
In 11962, the president kof United States ofAmerica(U.S.A) Johb.F. Knnedy (late) listed cousumer’s right to include: the right to choose from a range of brand of products and service. The right to be informed of important fact about a product or service durablilty. The right to be safe when using products and service In theunited States, there arose the consumers moverment in reaction to abuses by business. In the 1960’s and 1970’s consumers were dissatisfied with defective or unsafe product safety commission in 1972 (U.S), such concerns were felt inNigeria and have let the governmeent regulattion of business tot prrotect consumers. In the 1970’s, governmeent set up ssuch bodies as the productivity, prrces aand incomes boareds aand the apaart- health office. Today, there are such bodies among is the National Aency for food Drugs Administransition and conrol (NAFDAC), federal Road safety commission, publ;icc complaint commission etc. The private sector also has watch clog bodies such as the Advertising practitioneral conncil of Nigeria (APCON), theNigeriamedical and dental conncil, the Nigeria Bar Association and so on.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
They were many poor guality drugs in the drug stores and even sold in the market places to consumers and which NAFDAC had embarket on a way of eradicattion of faked drugs. chemicals were manifactured and advertising by APCON as well as sold to consumers and they had not to standards organisation ofNigeriaand had caused so much harm to consumers. The canned foods were not prepared within hyglenic enviroment and the cause were trust thereby introducing pathogens into the food and this had caused diseases as well as death of consumers. Sachet water packs were package by ddirty operators who intrroduced microles into the water aand the attendant diseases caused and created atemible problems to consumers.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
To eradicate poor guality dugs from drug stores.
To private a goodf standard chemicals by the standard organisation of Nigerial.
To eradicate rusted canned foods and unhygenic enviroment where it is being prepared.
TO Enhanec the operators of sachet water packs thaat is being packaged by dirty operators which introduces microbes as topinc in the body.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
Since the objective of study has being achieved by the stand by water dog bodies,NAFDAC and APCON.This study will enaablee this APCON Adiministratives :-
To determine who are advertising practitioner.
To regulate and control the practice of advertising in all its aspects and ranification.
To conduct an examinations in the proffession.
To set the standards of knowledge required of such practitioners.
In pursuant of the above the conncil has approved thiss code for the control of advertising in its entire ranification. As stipulated in the enabling decree, nobody can practice advertising for profit in any farm inNigeriawithout first being registered with APCON.Any contravention of this provision is punishable under the law One the other hand, NAFANC functions as follows: To pronounce on the quality and safety of foods, drugs, cosemetics, medical devices, bottled water and chemicals after appropriate labouratory anallysis.
To undertakes inspection of imported foods drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled or sachet water and chemicals at the port of entry as well as the premises where these products are being manufactured locally. To grants authorization to import and export of Narcotic drugs, psychotropic subsance, chemicals as well as others. Controls the exportation of regu;ated products by issuing combined certificatee of goods, manufacturing practice free sales. To undertakes measures to ensure that the use of Narcotic drugs and psycchotropic substance are liited to medial and scientific purpose. Regulated and controls the importation and exportation, manufacture, advertisment, distribution, sales and use of foods, drugs, cometics, medical devices, bottled content sachet water, chemicals, standard specification, and guidelines for production, importation exportation, sales and distribution of all regulated products.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is the investigation of wliy there was
consumervisor in nigeia and the remeclies.
The remeclies are NAFDAC entorces reputation effectively:-
To ensure that only goods qulaity, safe, and duly registered regulated products are in circulation in the country.
To educate manfacturers of food, drugs, cosmetics, bottled or sachet water and other related industries.
To educate consumers and the general public to ensure it role is appreciated.
While advertising practitioners council ofnigeria(APCON) ensures that all advertising must be legal, decent, honest, truthful and should be respectiful ofnigeriacullture. They should be prepared wlith high sense of social responsibility and should not show disregard for interest of consumers and wider nigeria society , conform to the principal of air competition geneally accepted in buiness, and fair comment expected in human communication. Lastly, evlance public confidence in advertising.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. To what extend does NAFDC check or control faked drugs innigeria?
2. To what extent does the phlemaceticale industry control fake drugs in Nigeria?
3. To what extent does NAFDAC control or checked canned foods and chemical.
4. To what extent does consumerisms grow innigeriaand what are the causes.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
NAFDAC : National Agency for food and drugs administration and control
DEFECTIVE: Dishonest, a person pretending to be something he is not or a thing that is not what you expected.
CLAIM : to demand, a statement/assertion without any profit
APCON: Advertising practitioners council ofNigeria
ADVERTISING: Is a fom of commiunication through media about producers services or ideas paid for and indentified sponsor.
ADVERTISING PRACTITIONERS: is a communication in the media paid for by and idedetifiable sponsor and directed at a target audience with the aim of importing information about a products services, ideas or opinion.
1.7 REFERENCES
Taylogy J. (1981): Is buiness above the law a harvard business series P.110. Drucker P(1977): Managament task, reponsibility and practice London: Willian Heinemann publishers inc. P.110 Erinma. C. Nwandu, Nnenna. B. etal (2000): principles of management II
Enugu: Iyke Venture production P.1911
Edward.T. (1975) Consumers financeNew York: Cabrillo college.
