By Awa B. Bah
The Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission GCCPC is an independent public institution established to enforce the competition Act of 2007 and administer the Consumer Protection Act of 2014, which together, aims to promote and enforce fair competition in the Gambian economy and protect the welfare of consumers of goods and services.
In line with its mandate under the consumer protection Act 2014, the GCCPC on Wednesday 16th August 2017 organized a forum on consumer protection matters in the finance and ICT sectors. The forum held at the national assembly conference hall in Banjul, was conducted by Professor Prentiss Cox, an Associate Professor of Law at the Minnesota University law school.
The Minister for Trade Dr. Isatou Touray in her remarks, said one of the policy objectives of MOTIE, is to create a competitive business environment where unaffected competition resigns and the consumer is king. The forum she said marks another milestone in the history of GCCPC as they have successfully collaborated with the relevant stakeholders to get together and discuss the challenges in implementing the consumer protection policies in their respective sectors.
The finance and ICT sectors she said, are an integral part of the new government as it is important to note that both sectors contribute to the country’s GDP. Touray urged all the stakeholders to always endeavor and ensure a right balance for a level field playing for businesses to compete fairly and safeguard the rights of consumers.
The Executive Secretary GCCPC Amadou Ceesay, said the forum is one of many avenues which the GCCPC uses to enlighten stakeholders on the importance of competition in a growing economy and to advocate for the satisfaction and protection of consumers of goods and services from unfair business practices. This forum he said is an opportunity to reflect and discuss the critical issues that revolve around the consumers and producers of our national economy with a view to address both consumers and service provider’s expectations respectively.
Ceesay encouraged all to make good use of the resource persons as all stakeholders have one goal and that is to protect the interest of Gambian consumers in the ICT and Finance sector.
