History was made in Abuja on Thursday, October 24 as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) signed a landmark agreement to protect travellers and travel trade operators from unfair operational trade practices.

The agreement, which was executed by the two partners, the first ever by FCCPC and any trade group in Nigeria, will last for two years, with an open window for renewal subject to certain satisfactory metrics.

Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FCCPC, who corroborated the earlier opening remarks of Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, the Executive Commissioner Operations, that NANTA has always been proactive in the affairs of the Nigerian travel industry, described the initiative as bold and innovative.

Bello signed the partnership agreement with NANTA in the full glare of all operative management staff of FCCPC, and revealed that he had always followed with keen interest the activities of NANTA, particularly its consistent advocacy to protect the Nigerian travelling public and the discomfort with unfair play and lack of equity in travel trade practices in Nigeria.

“I am excited to meet with NANTA members today. You have always set the pace, and when I came in, I was briefed about your relationship with FCCPC. Today, we are happy to sign into agreement this noble effort that captures all our passion and expectations to protect our people (consumers) from unfair trade practices, including the operators, “the FCCPC boss explained

Speaking on the unhealthy situation in the national trade economy, Mr Bello bemoaned the unbridled spate of high prices of goods and services in the country, wondering if Nigerians truly love each other, noting that price hikes of consumer goods in various markets does not tally with empirical findings by FCCPC of cost of goods and as such negates the laws on fair and equitable trade practices.

“Further on NANTA, he said we are glad to work with this set of Nigerians to make our country better and respected in the commity of nations.

NANTA President, Mr Yinka Folami, honoured by the presence of the Association’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Agoha, led the Immediate Past President, Mrs Susan Akporiaye, Financial Secretary, Yinka Ladipo, Abuja Zonal Vice President, Mrs Uloma Kemabonta, Internal Auditor, Ugochukwu Johnson, Chief Administrative Officer, Diagi Stanley, and Legal Representative, from Pinheiro LP, Francis Agunbiade to the agreement signing ceremony. He informed that NANTA as trade body can not stand by and watch the entire Nigerian travel trade sector eroded by obnoxious trade practices.

He further lamented the gradual exctintion of Nigerian currency, the Naira, as a legitimate trade instrument in view of the demands for dollar by trade providers in Nigeria without rigid enforcement by concerned authorities.

“I honestly wonder if we love our country, our Naira, and our people as everything we do has to be influenced by foreign denominations and it is like our currency, the Naira, is no longer sovereign” NANTA President mourned.

He commended FCCPC for being consistent in the pursuance of the protection of the rights of consumers and in diffusing the negative climate of trade exploitation that hurt the Nigerian economy and the people .

“We intentionally came with our Chairman Board of Trustees, Alhaji Aminu Agoha to sigh this historic agreement because we believe with this modest intervention, we have achieved fifty per cent of our delivery as an association to our members and in particular the travelling public. We thank Mr Tunji Bello and his professional team for believing in NANTA and willing to work with us to clean up our sector. Today will forever remain historic and memorable to us in NANTA, and we assure FCCPC that our partnership on this path will be taken seriously, “NANTA President stated further.