Lobby Wants Law on Insurance Cover for Consumers

By Guardian Reporter

The government has been urged to enact a law that will ensure that all businesses have insurance covers for their consumers.

Speaking to this paper during an interview, Bernard Kihiyo, who is the Executive Director of the Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) said insurance services were needed in the Tanzania market more now than any other time before, as most businesses were insisting on applying best practices to accommodate global economy.

He said more policies and regulations were required to cover majority of the consumers with the right compensation schemes. He also insisted on consumer education as an important part of the process and as a basic consumer right that must be insisted to the general public and introduced at school and college levels.

``We believe this campaign will increase consumers` understanding on their rights and will build their ability to claim for their rights,`` he said.

On the other hand, effort would make their voices to be heard, and because there will be high awareness amongst consumers these would facilitate accountability and responsiveness to their needs and interests.

He said education is a life long process of constantly acquiring relevant information, knowledge and skills. ``Consumer education is an important part of this process and is a basic consumer right that must be insisted to the general public and introduced at the school and college level,`` Kihiyo said.

He said they believe the campaign would increase the consumer`s understanding on their rights and build their abilities to claim for their rights. He revealed that TCAS intended to introduce annual award to the best manufacturer, supplier and importer operator in accordance with the standards and opinions of the consumers.

Kihiyo said, the awards would give back to businesses from the community especially from consumers on their business conducts.

He said the award would aim at looking for firms to take a triple bottom line approach to their performance, sensitivity to standards, quality, environment as well as the economic impact of their operations.

The givers of the award would keenly watch how firms apply responsive business practice that create value chains for the betterment of consumers and that would help the firm to become more cost efficient, accountable and responsive to consumers` needs and interests.

SOURCE: Guardian of 13th.Dec.2007