Nigeria’s Consumers Protection Council (CPC) is taking further steps to prevent pay TV company DSTV from forcing a price hike on its subscribers.
Days after Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered DSTV owner MultiChoice Nigeria to stop the planned implementation of higher tariffs, the CPC stated that Nigerian consumers are complaining about the DSTV subscription process.
According to the CPC, DSTV subscribers have been finding it difficult to purchase new bouquet plans with the old rates after the court ordered MultiChoice to halt its price rises.
Despite the directive given by the courts, DSTV is yet to confirm that they will adhere to this order or released any statement addressing the issue.
The court restriction was put in place after an application was filed on behalf of the Nigerian government by the CPC in case No. FHC/ABJ/CS/894.
The application was facilitated by Babatunde Irukera, director general of the CPC, who led other concerned Nigerians to appear in court for the case. Other applicants who jointly signed a nine-paragraph statement include Abimbola Ojenike, Eme David-Ojugo, Moray Adebayo, Teniola Medupin and Florence Abebe.
Based on the complaint, the court restrained DSTV from implementing the tariff hike and carrying out activities that may affect the outcome of ongoing investigations by the CPC into the company’s compliance or non-compliance with the February 16, 2016 order pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The CPC is giving costumers a chance to have their complaints addressed, the council noted this in a statement. “In view of the continuing and increasing complaints that consumers are unsuccessful in renewing subscription in compliance with the order of the court, even after service of the order upon MultiChoice, the Council is setting up a special channel for receiving complaints for this purpose.”
The council stated that all subscribers experiencing any difficulty should email their complaints here, including information such as smart card number, name, telephone number, date and time of failed attempt to pay and, if possible, a screenshot or document that proves the complaint.
tagged in: Babatunde Irukera, CPC, DSTV, MultiChoice