Consumer Protection Commission set to hire 60 work...

Consumer Protection Commission set to hire 60 workers

Zim Now Writer

THE Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), which was established under the Consumer Protection Act Chapter 14:14 (No. 5 of 2019), is recruiting about 60 employees, an exercise that will see it beefing up its teams to ensure adequate execution of its watchdog mandate.

The skills’ categories they are looking for range from accountants, auditors, legal officers, procurement, education and training personnel as well as others expected to be involved in inspections, revenue and compliance among other staff groupings.

Administered by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Consumer Protection Act became law on 10 December, 2019 with its main objectives being to protect the consumers, regulate the accreditation of consumer protection advocacy groups, conduct alternative dispute resolution and promote consumer awareness in collaboration with requisite stakeholders.

“Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) is now inviting suitably qualified and experienced individuals to apply for the positions that have risen in the commission,” it said in a latest public notice.

Some of the posts to be filled include six investigations officers, senior compliance and inspections officer, 20 consumer protection inspectors, 10 compliance officers and one accountant among others.

The CPC will be an implementation mechanism of the Consumer Protection Act where unscrupulous businesspeople engaging in unfair practices such as multi-tier pricing, fraudulent offers, failure to label products properly and the disclosure of consumers’ personal information to third parties, are liable for prosecution.

The new regulations provide for consumers entitlement to full refunds for defective or sub-standard goods.

Consumers can also approach the courts for redress.