Training
for journalists on consumer protection and competition, organised by The Gambia
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (GCCPC), ended at the Joint
Officers Mess in Kotu on Thursday.
The
daylong training workshop aimed at enlightening the media with first hand
information on the role, functions and objectives of the GCCPC.
It
aimed to raise awareness on the work of the commission, ensure the availability
and affordability of essential commodities and to protect and promote consumer
welfare and competition across all sectors of the economy in the Gambian
market.
The
Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is an independent public
institution established to enforce and put into effect the Competition Act
2007, administer the Consumer Protection Act 2014 and Commodities Act 2015,
geared towards the protection of consumers’ welfare in the procurement of goods
and services. It also enforces and promotes fair competition in the Gambian
economy.
In
his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of GCCPC, Amadou Ceesay,
emphasised the importance of the media in the attainment of the commission’s
objectives in raising public awareness on competition/consumer protection.
“Media
advocacy can help raise awareness of both the role and actions of the GCCPC,’’
he said.
Mr
Ceesay said that media practitioners have a critical role to play in ensuring
that the benefits of competition or consumer protection reach the public.
He
added that for effective public advocacy to take effect, the media must fully
understand their role, functions and objectives.
Emil
Touray, president of The Gambia Press Union, hailed the GCCPC for conducting
the first-media workshop on consumer protection, describing it as both ‘’timely
and groundbreaking’’.
He
advised the participants to make the best use of the training and share the
knowledge gained to their colleagues.
Kumba
Leigh, one of the participating journalists, said the training would go a long
way in improving their capacity as far as consumer protection and related
issues are concerned.
She
urged her colleagues to be more active in raising awareness on the role of the
GCCPC.
This
was the first training of its kind that The Gambia Competition and Consumer
Protection Commission (GCCPC) organised for the media fraternity.
More
than 18 people, drawn from different media houses across the country, took part
in the workshop.