EXTRA: Grammar police spot error in FCCPC’s directive on consumer exploitation

A grammatical error was spotted in a directive from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) asking Nigerians to report price hikes by traders.

In a bid to protect consumers from exploitation, FCCPC, on Wednesday, said Nigerians should report any trader that “keeps adding money” to his or her goods.

“Report any trader to us that keeps adding money to his or her goods,” FCCPC said.

Grammar police flagged the comment ‘keeps adding money’ as it was not grammatically appropriate for the message FCCPC was communicating.

Traders do not add money to their goods, rather, they increase the price of their goods.

Meanwhile, the commission, in a different statement, had earlier said it would monitor and investigate price hikes in the markets to protect consumers from exploitation.

FCCPC said despite the recent appreciation of the naira against the dollar, consumers continue to face escalating costs without a corresponding decrease in prices, adding that such a situation is not acceptable.

It also said operatives have been directed to intensify surveillance in all markets where businesses may be taking advantage of market conditions by unfairly increasing prices and to enhance enforcement measures.

On February 16, the commission sealed Sahad store, a supermarket located in the Garki area of Abuja, for engaging in “misleading pricing and lack of transparency in pricing”.

Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s acting vice chairman, said the supermarket would remain closed until the investigation into their operations is concluded.